Drone strikes on two Isuzu trucks near Enticho and Gendebta in northern Tigray killed one person and injured another, local sources said. A Tigrayan official blamed the Ethiopian National Defence Force, while a TPLF-affiliated outlet claimed the trucks carried food; pro-government accounts say they held weapons. The strikes come amid renewed clashes in disputed western Tigray, growing tensions over Amhara and Eritrean troop presence, and a severe humanitarian crisis. The African Union urged all parties to exercise restraint and uphold the 2022 cessation agreement.
Drone Strikes in Ethiopia’s Tigray Kill One and Raise Fears of Renewed Conflict
The abandoned wreckage of a vehicle on the road to Sheweate Hugum in Tigray, Ethiopia, July 10, 2021 [File: Giulia Paravicini/Reuters]
One person was killed and another injured after drone strikes struck two Isuzu trucks in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, local sources said, in an incident that has intensified fears of renewed clashes between regional and federal forces.
A senior Tigrayan official told reporters the strikes hit vehicles near Enticho and Gendebta, about 20 km (12 miles) apart. The official blamed the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) for the attack but did not produce evidence. A local humanitarian worker independently confirmed the strikes; both sources requested anonymity, according to a Reuters account.
Claims about what the trucks were carrying are disputed. Dimtsi Weyane, a news outlet affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), posted photos it said showed trucks carrying food and cooking supplies. Pro-government activists on social media asserted the vehicles were transporting weapons. At this time, independent verification of the cargo has not been reported.
Broader Context
The incident comes amid fragile post-conflict tensions in Tigray. Ethiopia’s national army and TPLF fighters waged a brutal war from 2020 to late 2022; researchers say the conflict caused mass casualties and widespread humanitarian collapse through direct violence, disrupted health services and famine.
Fighting was reported earlier this week in Tsemlet, a disputed part of western Tigray claimed by forces from the neighbouring Amhara region. Tensions have been compounded by the presence of Amhara and Eritrean troops in parts of Tigray, actions critics say violate the November 2022 peace deal that helped halt large-scale hostilities.
Last year, the head of the interim administration installed in Tigray by Addis Ababa fled Mekelle amid internal divisions within the TPLF. Addis Ababa has accused the TPLF of deepening ties with Eritrea and of preparing for renewed hostilities.
Humanitarian Impact
Local life has been disrupted: Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Tigray this week, and residents rushed to withdraw cash amid rising concern. Humanitarian agencies warn that up to 80% of the region's population needs emergency assistance, and funding shortfalls have strained an already fragile health system. Recent reductions in international aid, including cuts to some US funding channels, have aggravated the crisis.
AU Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf urged all parties to 'exercise maximum restraint' and to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue, stressing the need to preserve the gains of the AU-led Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed in Pretoria in 2022.
Independent verification of the strikes and the nature of the cargo remains limited. The situation is evolving, and humanitarian and diplomatic actors continue to call for restraint and renewed negotiations to prevent a return to all-out conflict.
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