Ethiopia Drone Strikes Kill at Least 25 Civilians in Amhara and Tigray
Drone strikes in Ethiopia's Amhara and Tigray regions reportedly kill at least 25 civilians.
Multiple drone strikes in northern Ethiopia have killed at least 25 civilians since Thursday, according to witnesses and a medical source cited by AFP on Friday.
The strikes hit areas in the Amhara and Tigray regions, where federal forces have been fighting rebel groups. Witnesses reported civilian casualties, including children, while the Ethiopian government has faced accusations of carrying out indiscriminate attacks.
Displacement Camp Hit by Multiple Strikes
In Amhara, witnesses said four drone strikes hit a camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) on Thursday.
A resident identified as Yasin told AFP that 14 people had been buried at the camp. He said two others died while receiving medical treatment.
Yasin, who requested anonymity, added that children and pregnant women were among those killed.
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Two other residents gave separate accounts of the casualties. One said he had buried bodies and reported 14 deaths, while another put the toll at 15.
The camp lies about 400 kilometres northeast of Addis Ababa. One witness said the strikes occurred as students were returning home from school.
Second Strike Hits Grain Collection Site in Tigray
Another drone attack struck a grain lorry in Tigray on Friday, killing at least 11 people, according to a medical source at a hospital.
A resident told AFP that a drone first hit a private vehicle carrying sorghum in Rama town at around 9pm on Thursday.
People gathered on Friday morning to collect the scattered grain. A second strike then hit the area, killing civilians.
The medical source confirmed that the hospital had received 11 bodies.
The conflict-monitoring organisation ACLED reported a death toll of 12 civilians and said an unspecified number of people were injured. It attributed the strike to the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF).
A local resident described the attack as heartbreaking, saying civilians had been collecting grain when the second strike occurred.
Ethiopian Army Yet to Comment
The Ethiopian army did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.
Federal forces have been fighting the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which launched attacks against government forces last month. The rebels were subsequently pushed back from their strongholds in Tigray.
The TPLF has also formed alliances with insurgent groups in other parts of Ethiopia, including the Fano movement in Amhara.
The fighting has raised concerns about wider regional tensions. The Ethiopian army has advanced towards the Eritrean border, while Eritrea has reportedly deployed troops in support of the TPLF.
The latest attacks have renewed concerns over civilian safety as fighting continues across northern Ethiopia.
