More than 100 people were reportedly killed in a drone strike on Thursday, April 17, in Gedeb, a rural town in the Enarj Enawga district of East Gojjam Zone in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, according to residents and eyewitnesses who spoke to the BBC.
Witnesses say the strike hit an area near Gedeb Primary School where a large crowd had gathered for what was described as community “development work,” including building a fence for the school. One eyewitness described the group as “peaceful people” engaged in communal labor.
“I didn’t know what was happening,” said one witness who was near the scene at the time. He described a scene of chaos and horror: “There was screaming, confusion, and panic. When we got closer, it was impossible to identify people. Everything was blackened. You couldn’t distinguish bodies—some were screaming, others rolling on the ground. It was horrifying—no human being should ever witness such a thing.”
Another resident, who suffered an injury to his right hand while working on the fence, recalled a “massive explosion” and said many were seriously hurt. More than 24 injured people were rushed to Gedeb Primary Hospital, but most reportedly died shortly after arriving.
One local resident, who helped transport the dead in a bajaj (three-wheeled vehicle), said between 115 and 120 bodies were buried. “There could be more,” he added, “because everyone was in a state of panic.” Another witness said he saw at least 57 bodies being collected and estimated the total number of dead exceeded 100.
Due to the severity of the injuries, identifying the victims was extremely difficult. Residents said the deceased were buried in a mass grave at Gedeb St. Giorgis Church by midday. “We were told to bury them quickly to avoid vultures,” one resident said. “So we placed them in about five graves.”
After the strike, residents reported that government forces entered the town, carried out further attacks, and that many locals fled out of fear. “There’s been a climate of terror,” one person said. “We spent Easter in fear. There was no real celebration. The area is in deep mourning. It didn’t feel like a holiday at all. Even children who usually come from the city didn’t visit this year.”
Local administrator Mulu Gete, however, denied that civilians were the target. Speaking to the BBC, he claimed the drone strike was aimed at “extremist” Fano militants, and dismissed reports of civilian deaths as “enemy propaganda.” He added, “There is a significant gathering of militant forces in that area. Claims about school fence construction or house building are just a cover.”
The strike comes amid intensified military operations by the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) in the Amhara region. The military recently claimed it had killed more than 300 Fano fighters in a single day in the Gojam area alone.
The Amhara region, gripped by conflict since April 2023, has experienced multiple deadly drone strikes. In February, Addis Standard reported a drone attack in Ambasel district, South Wollo Zone, which killed four people—including three children—and destroyed several homes. Just a week earlier, another drone strike in Zenbo Kebele, Efrata Gidem district, North Shewa Zone, killed three civilians, including a pregnant woman and her six-year-old daughter, according to family members.
