Ethiopia accused of drone strike near Tigray capital
Tigrayan officials have accused the Ethiopian federal government of conducting a drone strike near the regional capital of Mekelle. This incident marks a potential escalation in the ongoing conflict despite previous peace agreements.
Why it matters
The report highlights the fragility of the peace process in Ethiopia and the ongoing humanitarian and security risks in the Tigray region.
Authorities in Ethiopia ’s northern Tigray region have accused the federal government of carrying out a drone strike near the regional capital Mekelle, raising fears that a confrontation gathering pace around the region’s borders is moving closer to its political centre.
Kelali Hagazi, a local official, said federal forces struck a farmers’ training centre in Dandera village around 10am this morning, 18 August. No one was injured, he said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The allegation could not immediately be independently verified and federal authorities have not responded publicly.
Although the reported attack caused no casualties, its location would mark a serious escalation. Previous alleged strikes this year have largely targeted Tigray’s contested approaches, while Dandera lies close to Mekelle, the headquarters of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the region’s armed forces.
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