Suspected drone strike kills four children in southern Djibouti

Suspected drone strike kills at least four children in southern Djibouti

Thursday March 5, 2026

DJIBOUTI — At least four children were killed in a suspected drone strike in southern Djibouti, authorities and a local human rights group said Tuesday.

The explosion occurred in the Dikhil region of Afar, according to Public Prosecutor Hassan Mohamed Hassan. In a statement, Hassan said a team has been dispatched to investigate the circumstances surrounding the blast and determine its cause.

The Djiboutian League for Human Rights (LDDH) said two children — a 6-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy — died at the scene. Two others later succumbed to their injuries, which the group attributed to a lack of timely evacuation and medical care. Six additional children were wounded, including one who was seriously injured, the group said.

The LDDH said the children were tending livestock when the explosion struck. The group described the incident as the sixth drone attack targeting nomadic populations in the region within the past six months.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the strike. Authorities did not provide details about the device or operator involved, and no further information was released on the identities of the victims beyond the two children who died at the scene.

Hassan said the investigative team would collect evidence to establish what triggered the explosion and whether it was linked to a drone. Officials did not say when findings would be made public.

Rights monitors urged authorities to improve emergency response and medical evacuation for pastoralist communities, which they say face elevated risks due to mobility and limited access to health services. The LDDH said it would continue documenting incidents affecting civilians as the investigation proceeds.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.