Drone strikes during the War in Amhara explained

During the War in Amhara, the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) has heavily utilized drone strikes in combat operations against Fano militia and civilian population. The attacks have reportedly resulted in widespread destruction, civilian casualties and humanitarian crisis.^[1] In particular since October 2024, drone strikes have been escalating in the Amhara region, notably the South Mecha woreda of the North Gojjam Zone following the commencement of the ENDF's counteroffensive.^[2]

The following list is events of documented drone attacks during the course of the war.

List of drone strikes

!Date!Location!Causalities !Ref.

13 August 2023	Finote Selam	26 people killed 55 people injured	^[3] ^[4] ^[5]
9 November 2023	Waber (East Gojjam Zone)	13 people killed	^[6] ^[7] ^[8]
30 November 2023	Wegel Tena	5 people killed	^[9] ^[10] ^[11]
5 December 2023	Wegel Tena	10 people killed	^[12] ^[13]
19 February 2024	Sasit	30 people killed 18 people injured	^[14] ^[15] ^[16]
11–14 October 2024	Gerchech (Mecha woreda)	Over 100 people killed	^[17] ^[18] ^[19]
26 October 2024	Achefer (North Gojjam Zone)	Over 50 people killed	^[20]
5 November	Duberete (West Gojjam Zone)	Over 30 people killed	^[21]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Account . 2024-10-23 . Urgent Call to Address Ongoing Drone Strikes Targeting Civilians and Infrastructure in Amhara, Ethiopia . 2024-11-01 . Borkena Ethiopian News . en-US.
2. Web site: Observer . Ethiopia . 2024-10-20 . 'More than a hundred killed' by drone attack in Amhara region . 2024-11-01 . Ethiopia Observer . en-US.
3. News: 2023-08-14 . Ethiopia Amhara: Air strike kills at least 26 in Finote Selam . 2024-11-01 . en-GB.
4. Web site: 2023-08-14 . At Least 26 Killed in Drone Strike in Ethiopia's Amhara Region . 2024-11-01 . Voice of America . en.
5. Web site:
6. Web site:
7. Web site: 2023-11-17 . Dozens Killed in Recent Clashes in Ethiopia's Amhara Region, UN Says . 2024-11-01 . Voice of America . en.
8. Web site: Insight . Addis . 2023-11-18 . School and Civilians Targeted: UN Condemns Deadly Drone Strikes in Ethiopia's Amhara . 2024-11-01 . Addis Insight . en-US.
9. Web site: Zelalem . Zecharias . 'Collective punishment': Ethiopia drone strikes target civilians in Amhara . 2024-11-01 . Al Jazeera . en.
10. Web site: Account . 2023-12-02 . Wegel Tena, Delanta : Medical doctor, Civilians killed in drone strike . 2024-11-01 . Borkena Ethiopian News . en-US.
11. Web site: 2024-07-03 . Ethiopia: Army Attacks Health Care in Amhara Conflict Human Rights Watch . 2024-11-01 . en.
12. Web site: 2023-12-13 . Ethiopia: EPO Weekly: 2-8 December 2023 - Ethiopia ReliefWeb . 2024-11-01 . reliefweb.int . en.
13. Web site: ACLED . Communications . 2023-12-13 . EPO Weekly: 2-8 December 2023 . 2024-11-01 . Ethiopia Peace Observatory . en-US.
14. Web site: Insight . Addis . 2024-02-21 . The Deadly Drone Strike in Amhara Leaves 30+ Victims . 2024-11-01 . Addis Insight . en-US.
15. News: 2024-02-22 . Ethiopia: Drone Strike Claims Lives of At Least 30 Individuals in North Shewa Zone of Amhara Region . 2024-11-01 . Addis Standard . en.
16. Web site: 2024-02-24 . Ethiopia: 30 killed, 18 injured in Ethiopian air strike on passenger truck near Sasit, Amhara - Ethiopia ReliefWeb . 2024-11-01 . reliefweb.int . en.
17. Web site: Observer . Ethiopia . 2024-10-20 . 'More than a hundred killed' by drone attack in Amhara region . 2024-11-01 . Ethiopia Observer . en-US.
18. Web site: 2024-10-22 . Intense Fighting Continues To Rattle Amhara Cities, Towns; Vicinities Of Debark Town Become Latest Targets - Addis Standard . 2024-11-01 . en-US.
19. Web site: Account . 2024-10-15 . Ethiopian gov't continues drone, airstrike in Amhara region . 2024-11-01 . Borkena Ethiopian News . en-US.
20. Web site: 2024-11-08 . በሰሜን ጎጃም በድሮን ጥቃት ነፍሰ ጡር ሴቶችን ጨምሮ 50 የሚሆኑ ሰዎች መገደላቸውን የዓይን እማኞች ተናገሩ . Eyewitnesses said that 50 people, including pregnant women, were killed in a drone attack in North Gojjam. . 2024-11-09 . BBC News አማርኛ Amharic . am.
21. Web site: 2024-11-07 . Drone strike, intense clashes in West Gojjam’s Durbete town claim civilian lives; residents report militants among dead . 2024-11-07 . . en-US.