Elidaar District, Afar Region – At least eight people were reported killed and several others injured in a drone attack on Thursday, January 30, 2024, near the Ethio-Djibouti border.

Residents told Addis Standard that the attacks occurred continuously throughout the night. While more than eight people were confirmed dead, the exact number of victims remains unknown. Among the deceased were a pregnant woman and two brothers. Additionally, at least four people were seriously injured and are currently receiving treatment at Dubti Hospital. The victims have been identified as Muhammad Aidahis, Gama Ali Orbis, Kako Ali Orbis, Ali Muhammad Kako, and Aisha Badul Ali.

Among the injured are Mairam Muhammad Abdullah, Fatuma Ali Hamed, and Ali Muhammad Ali, although the full list of victims has yet to be confirmed, according to the Addis standard report.

Residents told Addis Standard that the attack was carried out by the Djibouti government, marking the second drone strike in the area within two months. They added that the assault targeted the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD), a group opposed to the Djibouti government.
An anonymous source told Addis Standard that Djibouti authorities claim the group’s militants are present in the border area and that the attack was part of an effort to forcibly evict local residents.

The Djibouti League for Human Rights (LDDH), a human rights advocacy organization, stated that “14 people, including four women, were killed” and numerous others, including “women and children,” were wounded. The organization condemned the attack as the worst of its kind.

In a statement issued yesterday, the LDDH denounced the assault as a “deliberate war crime against the Afar people” and questioned, “How long will Turkey and China arm the Djibouti government with drones that are killing the poor pastoralist community?”

Tensions between the Djibouti government and the FRUD have escalated in recent years, with the group blamed for attacks on security forces. In October 2022, Djibouti’s Ministry of Defense announced that seven soldiers were killed in an attack on the Tajura regiment and vowed to apprehend those responsible.

The Ethiopian government condemned the October attack as a “barbaric and cowardly act” and expressed its readiness to respond to security threats against Djibouti at the time. Later, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Afar regional government, announced the release of six Djibouti soldiers held by the armed group.

However, no official statement has been issued by either Ethiopia or Djibouti regarding this attack so far.