Drone strikes in Ethiopia kill at least 25: witnesses

Multiple drone strikes struck northern Ethiopia as government forces fought rebels in Amhara and Tigray. The attacks killed civilians rather than only fighters, raising accusations that the strikes were indiscriminate. At least 25 people died, according to witnesses and a medical source cited by AFP.

In Amhara, four strikes hit a camp for displaced people one after another. Witnesses reported that 14 people were buried there, while two more died receiving treatment. Children and pregnant women were among those killed. In Tigray, a second strike hit people gathering sorghum scattered from a grain lorry struck the previous night. A hospital received 11 bodies, while ACLED reported 12 civilian deaths.

The Ethiopian government did not answer requests for comment. The fighting involves federal forces, the TPLF, and allied groups including Fano. The attacks show how civilians and essential food supplies can be exposed when military operations occur near camps, towns, and roads.

The overall reported death toll was at least 25 civilians. This figure combines deaths from two locations: an internally displaced people’s camp in Amhara and a grain-lorry strike in Tigray. The victims included children, and the Amhara attack also killed pregnant women, according to a witness.

Reports from the Amhara camp varied. One witness said 14 people had been buried and two more had died during treatment. Two other residents reported 14 and 15 deaths. In Tigray, a medical source confirmed 11 dead, while ACLED estimated that 12 civilians were killed. These figures came from different people and institutions.

The differences may reflect when each source counted deaths, which victims they could confirm, and whether the count covered the first strike, the second strike, or both. The article therefore uses the cautious phrase “at least 25,” rather than presenting one final total.

“IDP” means internally displaced person. An IDP has fled home because of conflict or another danger but has not crossed an international border. An IDP camp provides shelter and a place to receive basic support while people remain displaced. The article identifies the Amhara site as a camp for displaced people.

Civilians were living there because Ethiopia’s fighting had forced them from their homes. The camp was about 400 kilometres northeast of Addis Ababa. Four drone strikes hit it one after another on Thursday. A witness said the strikes occurred as students were returning from school, and children and pregnant women were among the victims.

The attack shows why displaced communities are especially vulnerable. They are concentrated in one place, may have limited ways to escape, and depend on outside assistance. When a camp is struck, people can lose shelter, safety, family members, and access to medical care at the same time.

The Ethiopian government’s military is identified in the article as the Ethiopian National Defence Force, or ENDF. It has been fighting rebels in Amhara and Tigray. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, launched attacks against federal forces and was later pushed from its strongholds in Tigray.

The conflict widened when the TPLF allied with insurgent groups elsewhere in Ethiopia. One named ally is Fano, which operates in Amhara. This connects fighting in the two states: government forces are confronting the TPLF in Tigray and groups allied with it, including Fano, in Amhara. ACLED believed the Tigray strike was carried out by the ENDF.

The article also says the Ethiopian army advanced to the border with Eritrea, whose troops supported the TPLF. That development raised fears of an international conflict. The army did not respond to requests for comment about the reported strikes.

The article says Ethiopia used its large supply of drones in the fighting across Amhara and Tigray. It presents the drones as a major reason government forces gained a decisive advantage over rebels. Drones matter because they can extend a military’s ability to observe areas and attack targets without sending conventional aircraft or ground troops into every location.

Their use did not prevent civilian harm. In Amhara, four strikes hit a displaced people’s camp. In Tigray, a drone first struck a private vehicle carrying sorghum, then hit people collecting the scattered grain the next morning. These attacks show that a weapon can offer military reach while still creating serious risks near civilian locations.

The Ethiopian government has been accused of indiscriminate attacks, and its army did not respond to requests for comment. Continued drone use could help government forces pressure rebels, but strikes near camps, towns, and food routes may increase civilian casualties and displacement.

When strikes hit camps, roads, or food vehicles, civilians face several linked harms. People may be killed or injured, families may be separated, and shelters may become unsafe. Displaced communities already depend on limited protection and assistance. A strike can therefore deepen both immediate suffering and longer-term displacement.

The article gives two clear examples. Four strikes hit an Amhara camp, killing at least 14 people according to one account, including children and pregnant women. In Tigray, a drone hit a lorry carrying sorghum. The next morning, people gathered the scattered grain, and another strike hit them. A hospital confirmed 11 deaths from that attack.

These attacks also threaten food access. Destroying a grain shipment can remove supplies from a community, while fear may stop people from collecting or transporting food. The article does not state the wider food shortage, but it shows how military strikes can directly endanger both people and essential supplies.

An armed conflict is sustained fighting involving organized armed forces, such as a government army and rebel groups. The Ethiopia fighting described here involves federal forces, the TPLF, and allied insurgents including Fano. Armed conflict rules exist because military operations can affect civilians who are not fighting, including children, pregnant women, and displaced families.

Under international humanitarian law, parties must distinguish civilians and civilian objects from fighters and military targets. They must not deliberately attack civilians. They must take feasible precautions, avoid attacks expected to cause excessive civilian harm compared with the military gain, and treat the wounded humanely. Food and medical care also receive special protection under these rules.

The article reports strikes on an IDP camp and people collecting sorghum. It also says Ethiopia was accused of indiscriminate attacks. Those reports raise questions about whether the required protections were followed. The article does not establish legal findings or responsibility beyond the reported accounts.