In a shocking turn of events, a drone strike allegedly carried out by the military claimed the lives of at least 26 demonstrators and left over 70 injured in Ethiopia on Sunday, as reported by the BBC.
The incident took place in the town of Finote Selam, situated in the Amhara Region, where locals had reportedly assembled to protest against the anticipated military intrusion in the area. This incident follows a period of intense conflict between the military and the Amhara-based militia group, Fano, as per the BBC.
Fano, which had previously supported the military during the Tigray civil war, had declined to disarm, citing concerns that the federal government was attempting to undermine regional defenses, according to a separate report by the BBC. In response, the federal government reportedly imposed a six-month state of emergency on August 4 and mobilized the army against the militia group.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) confirmed the credibility of the report on the Finote Selam strike in a statement. The EHRC also mentioned "credible reports of strikes and shelling" in the city of Debre Birham and the town of Burie, both located in the Amhara region, which shares a border with the conflict-ridden Tigray region.
The EHRC statement further revealed that there have been instances where protestors, including civilians attempting to block roads, were killed. It also highlighted the significant damage and loss of life suffered by the Amhara region's government, the paralysis of commercial activities, and the disruption of access to basic amenities.
The BBC has described this conflict as the most significant security threat Ethiopia has faced since the conclusion of the two-year Tigray war in November 2022.
Tikikil Kumlachew, a university professor who visited the hospital where the victims of the suspected strike were being treated, was quoted saying, "The explosion shook the city. I don't know if it was a drone or something else. But it fell from the sky."
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