At least 16 civilians were killed and 22 others wounded when a series of drone strikes hit a displacement camp in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara region, according to residents and local media reports.
The attack struck the Hayiq Jari 2 Turk camp near the town of Hayiq on Thursday, killing three pregnant women, an eight-year-old girl and several students, witnesses told Ethiopian news outlet Addis Standard.
Residents reported that the camp was struck at least five times, with explosions occurring at approximately 15-minute intervals while displaced families were sheltering inside their temporary accommodation.
More than 20 shelters reportedly caught fire during the bombardment, forcing residents to flee and leaving several children separated from their families.
The wounded were initially taken to Hayiq Hospital, while patients with more serious injuries were transferred to Dessie Hospital for further treatment.
Conflict monitoring group Frontlines Ethiopia documented the October 29 incident, while separate local accounts described artillery fire alongside the drone attacks.
The identity of the force responsible for the strikes has not been independently established.
The camp accommodates more than 1,800 internally displaced people, many of whom fled earlier violence in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, particularly the conflict-affected Wollega area.
Survivors now face worsening humanitarian conditions as the destruction of shelters compounds existing shortages of food, medical supplies and emergency assistance.
The attack comes amid continued fighting in Amhara between Ethiopian federal forces and Fano armed groups, whose confrontation has destabilised large parts of the region since 2023.
Military operations have increasingly involved drones and other heavy weapons, raising concerns about civilian casualties and the safety of communities caught between opposing forces.
Ethiopia is also confronting renewed hostilities in neighbouring Tigray, where fighting has intensified in recent weeks, adding to fears of a broader escalation in the country’s northern regions.
The latest attack highlights the growing vulnerability of civilians displaced by Ethiopia’s overlapping conflicts, many of whom have sought refuge in camps that offer limited protection from aerial bombardment.
