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Drone Strike Kills 41 Near Ethiopian Border, Rights Group Says
Confirmed
In Short: A rights group reported a drone strike near the Ethiopian border killed 41 displaced people, with multiple outlets providing details on the ongoing conflict.
A rights group reported that a drone strike blamed on Sudan's paramilitary forces killed 41 people near the Ethiopian border, according to ABC News (United States) and Halifax (Canada).
The incident occurred in Sudan's Blue Nile region, close to the border town of Kurmuk, where a gathering of displaced individuals was hit, as reported by ABC News and Halifax.
The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, were implicated in the attack, though a spokesperson for the RSF did not respond to a request for comment from Halifax.
Meanwhile, the BBC (United Kingdom) reported that the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) expressed dismay over the attack, stating that the area had been under sustained attack, displacing thousands of civilians.
Saudigazette (Saudi Arabia) reported that Sudanese authorities and human rights groups have accused the RSF of using drones to target civilian infrastructure, though Ethiopian authorities have not yet confirmed these claims.
According to Ethiopia Observer, fighting erupted in western Tigray near the Sudanese border, with forces affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) exchanging heavy fire.
The Ethiopian government has not yet confirmed the account of events provided by the TPLF, as reported by Ethiopia Observer.
The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has forced over 12.4 million people to flee their homes, according to U.N. figures cited by ABC News and Halifax.
The conflict has killed at least 150,000 people, according to conflict monitor ACLED, though aid groups suggest the actual number is likely higher.
Denise Brown, the U.N., emphasized the need for accountability for the flagrant disregard of international humanitarian law, as reported by ABC News and Halifax.
Both ABC News and Halifax reported that among the dead were eight children and many women.
The BBC and Saudigazette reported that both sides have been accused of using drone attacks, with Sudanese authorities claiming the drone was launched from Ethiopian territory.
What's confirmed
- CAIRO -- A drone strike blamed on Sudan’s notorious paramilitaries hit a gathering of displaced people on the border with Ethiopia and killed 41, a rights group said.
- It has forced more than 12.4 million to flee their homes, according to U.N. figures, creating what aid groups call the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
- “As each day goes by in this war, the world continues to accept the suffering of the people of Sudan.” Sudan’s war started in April 2023 when tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and spread across the country.
- The conflict has killed at least 150,000 people, according to conflict monitor ACLED, though aid groups say the real number is likely higher.
- “Condemning these senseless killings is essential, but there must also be accountability for this flagrant disregard for international humanitarian law,” said Denise Brown, the U.N.
- Among the dead were eight children and many women, the group said.
What's still developing
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- Ocha said in a statement that the area reportedly struck on Friday had been "under sustained atttack in recent weeks, displacing thousands of civilians and exposing many more to grave harm".
- According to reports, the clashes began early Saturday morning and involved a TPLF unit known as “Army 70,” reportedly based across the border in Sudan, and Ethiopian federal troops.
- Amanuel said that the fighting, which began around 6:00 a.m., was “still ongoing.” For several months, the two sides, whose relations have been severely strained, have accused each other of attempting to spark a new conflict.
- Tensions have also persisted between Ethiopia and Sudan, with Addis Ababa accusing Khartoum of financing TPLF “mercenaries.” Sudan, meanwhile, has reported drone strikes that it said originated from Ethiopian territory.
- At a recent public rally, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael appeared to allude to a shift in the group’s position, stating that “we are not alone as we were in the past; we have allies now.” Debretsion further stated that the Prosperity Party would no longer be confronting only Tigray, suggesting that other forces opposed to the authorities are also emerging.
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- There was no immediate comment from Ethiopian authorities on the Sudanese claim, and it was not immediately clear who operated the drone or what its intended target was.
- The TPLF’s deputy leader, Amanuel Assefa, told AFP that federal forces had launched an offensive against the group’s positions using heavy artillery.