At least 16 civilians died on October 29 when multiple drone strikes hit a displacement camp in northern Ethiopia, according to local residents and monitoring groups.
The bombardment targeted the Hayiq Jari 2 Turk camp near the town of Hayiq, about 430 kilometres northeast of Addis Ababa. Local residents stated that three pregnant women, an eight-year-old girl, and several students were among the dead.
A witness told the Ethiopian news outlet Addis Standard that the facility faced repeated strikes. "The drone struck the camp five times, at least, at intervals of 15 minutes, while IDPs were inside their shelters. We never expected a drone to attack the camp," the witness said.
The conflict monitoring organisation Frontlines Ethiopia documented the attack. Other local accounts reported that both drone strikes and artillery fire hit the surrounding area.
Residents reported that more than 20 shelters caught fire during the bombardment. The flames forced families to flee and separated children from their relatives.
Medical personnel admitted the wounded to Hayiq Hospital for initial care. Patients in serious condition were later transferred to Dessie Hospital for specialised treatment.
The targeted camp accommodates more than 1,800 internally displaced people. Many of these individuals previously fled violence in the Oromia region, including the Wollega area.
The attack hit humanitarian conditions for families already struggling with shortages of food, medicine and shelter after aid reductions.
The Amhara region has seen prolonged fighting between federal security forces and Fano militias since 2023. Military operations in the area, including drone strikes, have frequently affected civilian communities.
This violence happens alongside broader instability across Ethiopia, which includes renewed fighting in the northern Tigray region and rising tensions with neighbouring Eritrea.
