A camp hit as children returned from school

At least 15 people, including five children, were killed in a series of drone strikes on a camp for displaced civilians in Ethiopia's Amhara region, according to two sources involved in the rescue operation who spoke to Reuters on Friday.

The camp, known as Jari 2, is near Hayk in South Wollo, about 400 kilometres north-east of Addis Ababa, and is home to more than 1,700 people who had fled earlier violence. Residents said there were around five explosions. Thirteen people were buried at the camp, and two more injured people later died at a hospital in Hayk, 17 kilometres away. A local official said 36 injured people were receiving medical treatment, and survivors were sheltering in a school.

Toll and attacker still disputed

The exact toll is not yet settled, and reports differ. Witnesses speaking to AFP described 14 people buried at the camp, with two more dying later in care. Another report, citing Addis Standard, put the toll at 16 dead and 22 injured, while the conflict monitor ACLED put the range at 16 to 23.

No party had claimed responsibility at the time of reporting, and it was not clear why the camp was targeted. Both Reuters sources said there had been no fighting in the area when the strikes took place, although members of the Amhara Fano National Movement, part of the rebel alliance, had been nearby. Until an official account is published, the attack should be reported as an unverified-attribution strike on a civilian camp, not as an established act by any named force.

Wider conflict context

Government troops have pushed back the rebel alliance since its offensive began on 23 September, retaking the Tigray regional capital earlier in October. Federal forces and Fano fighters have also been fighting in Amhara since 2023, and residents have repeatedly reported civilian deaths from drone strikes.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed did not immediately respond to Reuters.

Sources: Reuters