Borkena
Toronto – At least 50 civilians were reportedly killed in a drone attack in North Wollo, Amhara region, Ethiopia, according to BBC Amharic. The victims were traveling on a cino-truck vehicle.
The incident occurred on November 28, 2024, around 2 p.m. local time in the Dawunt district of North Wollo Zone. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said it has received information about the attack and is gathering more details.
Residents who spoke to BBC Amharic confirmed that there was no active conflict in the area at the time. The use of cino-trucks as a mode of public transportation has become common in the region due to a lack of alternatives.
Eyewitnesses described the victims as civilians returning from various activities, including open-air markets, labor job searches, and a baptism event. Farmers and youths were also among those traveling in the truck.
Two drones had reportedly been conducting aerial surveillance in the area for several hours before the attack. The truck, travelling through hilly terrain, was struck by one of the drones. Residents recounted hearing a loud, terrifying explosion before reaching the scene.
“It is not something that could be described in words,” one resident told BBC Amharic, referring to the devastating aftermath. Witnesses reported seeing body parts scattered around the site.
Fearing further strikes as there was continued aerial surveillance, residents temporarily fled the area and only returned in the evening to collect bodies. They worked until 3 a.m., counting at least 50 fatalities.
Another resident, overwhelmed by the scene, said, “it was a time that hated being created as human.” From the accounts of witnesses who appeared at the scene, the situation was very disturbing.
Reports indicate that the Ethiopian Defense Force has also carried out another drone strike in Bilbila, Lasta, North Wollo, killing an 83-year-old monk.
Despite the widespread devastation, the Ethiopian Defense Force has not issued any statements about the strikes.
The Ethiopian government has increasingly relied on drone attacks in the Amhara region in recent months. Fano forces claim the government turned to drones after suffering significant losses in infantry battles.
Ethnic Amhara activists report that over 100 drone strikes have been conducted across the region since August 2023, coinciding with the government’s campaign to “disarm Fano.”
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