Disclaimer: This is an English translation of an Amharic article taken from BBC Amharic and is intended solely for information purposes.
BBC Amharic – A drone strike killed 50 people including pregnant women in North Gojjam say eyewitnesses
November 8, 2024
A drone attack carried out in South Achefer Woreda of North Gojjam Zone in Amhara Region killed a significant number of people including children and pregnant women according to residents and eyewitnesses who spoke to BBC.
Witnesses and residents said the attack took place over three consecutive rounds on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 (Tikimit 26, 2017 E.C.) in a small town called Aregie (Zibsit) located around 40 km from the woreda’s capital of Durbete.
At around 7:10 am in the morning an attack was carried out in the town’s market, a primary school and a health center according to witnesses who spoke to BBC saying “children up to adults perished.”
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it received information of the attack and told BBC it was gathering information.
The drone attack victimized children playing netball, seniors, people who were sitting down, mothers recieving medical care and day workers striking near a church and striking people who were sitting in a harvest, say residents.
Residents said the three areas where the drone strike hit were in close proximity, and BBC was able to verify that these areas were located within a 300 meter radius based on review of map and satellite imagery.
One day before the attack drone surveillance was noted “she was circling in the sky” said residents saying the attack seemed like it was meant to “completely destroy the town.”
“There were children, there were seniors, there were youth all across the area [who were struck]. Many houses which were located nearby were also struck” said one eyewitness describing the scale of the attack, and saying “they were civilians” describing the identity of the killed victims.
One resident said “we thought it was God’s wrath, it came down from the sky and struck us like lightning” testifying that the incident was unexpected.
Another resident who said they came to the area quickly after hearing sounds of an explosion said they saw bodies that had fallen all over the area and called the situation “horrific”.
Another resident said they were in church when the attack was carried out, and said in order to protect themselves “we lied down where we were”. The resident and the six people who were with them survived by “by His grace” but they said seven people who were near them were killed.
“It feels dreadful to be human. I have never seen human beings inflicting this kind of cruelty onto one another” said the resident describing the attack, “the attack which took place was severe and devastating” they said.
They said among the killed victims were more than 13 children playing ball on school property in addition to pregnant women, which was a reflection of the devastation of the attack.
The attack on the health center killed mothers and women who were receiving pregnancy follow-up appointments and who were in labor.
One medical professional who confirmed this and who was in the health center when the attack took place said the extent of damages on the maternal monitoring center was severe, they said five pregnant women and two other patients were killed.
“It struck the mothers who were sleeping inside” said the medical professional adding that three female medical professionals were injured and calling the casualties “severe”.
The professional said the “shock” triggered three mothers to have miscarriages.
BBC was unable to independently verify the attack on the area, however photographs and video footage allegedly showing the injuries to victims circulated over the past few days on social media.
The attack in the market area killed five members of a single family as they were having breakfast in their home, including a pregnant mother, a father and three children, residents told BBC.
One resident who was a neighbor to the killed victims said, “they perished all together.” The children were aged between 10 and 17 years old the neighbor estimated, the mother who was pregnant at the time “left before she was able to deliver what was given to her by God...” which caused the resident much sorrow they told BBC.
Residents told BBC the name of the man who was killed alongside his wife and children was called Ato Simegnew Bewketu.
One resident said among the killed victims were seven of their relatives “in a single household there were as many as five people who were killed” they said about the massacre.
Another resident who said their close relative who was 15 years old was killed in the attack said “there is no home which has not been affected by sorrow” and added there were families where two and three people were killed.
Another resident said the incident “was a slaughter”, saying, “in all our days of living we have never heard of anything like this let alone seen it. It is terrible that this kind of disaster could happen against innocent people.”
One resident who retrieved bodies described being disturbed by what they saw, saying “I am unwell.”
Another resident said “anyone who saw all of that could not eat injera. There is no one eating injera. Yesterday and today nobody is eating” they said explaining that they were disturbed.
Residents said it was difficult to identify the killed persons from their bodies and faces, they told BBC they were forced to conduct a mass burial due to fear created by ongoing drone surveillance.
“They would say someone’s brother, someone’s sister, someone’s child, someone’s father but they could not be distinguished by their looks” they said explaining that it was difficult to separate the bodies, they said up to 15 bodies were buried in a single grave.
“[The bodies] were retrieved and carried on carriages. They were gathered and buried” said residents who said the burial was held a short distance away in the Zibsit Maryam Church which faced minor damages and said the burial took place at 6 pm without prayers.
One resident who retrieved bodies said they retrieved 44 bodies on the day of the attack, and they said the following day they found another four.
Another two residents said they counted “43 people” killed in the attack, and said 21 people were injured.
A medical professional confirmed that over 64 people were injured in the drone attack and 43 people were killed.
The professional stated that over 21 injured victims received care in the medical center, “we did everything we could. But we are reaching a stage of being unable to save over eight people.”
Victims with severe injuries were sent for better medical care on two ambulances to Durbete however in an area called Lalibela “government forces” opened fire on them forcing them to turn back.
Residents said in addition there were people whose whereabouts are unknown and so the number of deaths could increase.
“There were people who were not found nearby. It is likely they were killed…we have discovered killed people even on the third day since” said one resident who said searches were underway.
Residents said, “the losses were great” adding, “beyond those who died many have become hurt by the trauma.”
After residents heard sounds of explosions many ran in shock and plunged into ditches where they suffered breakages.
“There are many people who lost from the shock. There were people who were injured, broken and who fell into ditches.”
Residents said locals have been leaving the town out of fear and said the town had become “empty”.
“People are overcome with fear and they are leaving. It is very difficult” said one resident, another resident said “there is no one left” describing the current situation.
“Today is Wednesday market. There are no people here…it does not look like a market.”
Prior to this on October 14, 2024 (Tikimit 4, 2017 E.C.) an air strike was carried out in the area said the resident, two people were killed in this attack and a large number of houses were damaged.
Residents said the area was under “government control” and added Fano forces did not operate in the area.
“How could there be this extent of bombardment without reason?” said one resident questioning why they were attacked, “how could they drop it on us? Is our question. If it is how we hear they supposedly drop it where the Fano are” they said explaining that Fano militants were not operating in the area.
“We would see them from time to time pass through but there were no Fano here with us” said another resident adding, “the Fano do not spend their days with us, they do not spend the night, we do not see them, they only pass by from time to time.”
“If anything happened we would not say ‘it is our problem, or they were our people who had us killed’ to the government. But when it comes down on us without reason we believe it was an attack on us” said another resident.
Local residents in the small town of Zibsit said the repeated attacks have subjected the people to suffering.
“There is no child who doesn’t tremble at night. Since October 14 (Tikimit 4) the children have given us problems. The majority of the children are in prayer. They say ‘it’s coming, it’s shouting at us’” said one resident.
Another resident and father of four said, “whenever there are sounds of gunfire or other noises the children suffer, many children are in doctor’s offices and in prayer.”
“We are now thinking we would have been better off if we had died like the others. How can we deal with this problem? We have no choice. If we were to leave where could we go? Our people are dying...we are facing very severe losses” said another resident describing the scars left by the attack.
Residents said local residents have faced fears “the people are being displaced from the town out of fears they cannot live there. They are closing their homes and leaving. They are saying after this there is no one they can appeal to as they leave.”
BBC’s efforts to contact zonal and local administrators to obtain more information on the reported attacks and resulting casualties were unsuccessful.
In the conflict between government forces and Fano militants which has continued for more than one year in Amhara Region, repeated drone attacks and killings have been previously reported in North Gojjam Zone.
*For the preparation of this report BBC spoke to six eyewitnesses and residents who requested their names not be mentioned out of concerns for their security.
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