Hargeisa, North Western State of Somalia – In an increasingly volatile region near the Djibouti-Ethiopia border, a series of drone strikes unfolded on January 30, 2025, engulfing the quiet Siyaru Kebele area in chaos. Sources confirm that more than eight lives were abruptly ended, while many were left nursing wounds both physical and emotional. The aerial assault paints a grim picture—one that’s fast becoming the new normal for residents living on the edge of two nations.
Siyaru Kebele, nestled within Ethiopia’s Eli-Daar district, found itself under siege as drones hummed ominously above. When I spoke to a local resident, his voice trembled, yet withheld his name for fear of repercussions. “It happened repeatedly through the night,” he recounted, “over eight are dead.” An official tally of the wounded remains elusive, adding to the anguish of an already fragmented community.
Among those claimed by this merciless attack were a pregnant woman and two brothers. At least four individuals bear serious injuries, two of whom are receiving urgent care at Dubti General Hospital, situated in the Afarta region, a lifeline against an encroaching despair.
The names of the deceased reverberate with the community’s loss: Mohamed Aydahis, Gama Ali Orbis, Kako Ali Orbis, Ali Mohamed Kako, and Aysha Baddul Ali. Meanwhile, Mayram Mohamed Abdalla, Fatuma Ali Hammed, and Ali Mohamed Ali now grapple with a fate indifferent to their suffering. Yet, the full extent of the casualties still veils itself in uncertainty.
The accusation pointed at the Djibouti government adds fuel to a fire simmering in Africa’s Horn. It’s “the second attack in two months,” claims the anonymous source, aimed ostensibly at the rebel group FRUD—known for its fierce opposition to the government.
A narrative evolved, corroborated by a report from the Addis Standard: Djibouti’s tensions with FRUD ignite mutual suspicions. A source hinted that Djibouti’s authorities are resolute: “FRUD’s bases are on the border,” they allege, these strikes masquerading as punitive excursions, or worse, as a grim eviction strategy against local inhabitants.
The Djibouti Human Rights Organization (LDDH) painted a darker image still. Calling the assault egregious, they confirmed the tragic loss of 14 lives, including four women. The specter of drones, they claim, lingered over nomadic camps, leaving a destructive wake throughout the night.
On January 31, 2025, LDDH’s condemnation arrived with vehemence, labeling the incident a “war crime notched against Afar’s civilians.” They questioned the conscience behind foreign support of Djibouti’s military, pondering, “How long will Turkey and China continue to arm a regime that decimates poor nomads with deadly drones?”
Djibouti’s fractious liaison with FRUD has been no stranger to strain. Accused of recurrent assaults on security forces, FRUD’s presence evokes a tenebrous shadow over the region. Djibouti’s Ministry of Defense, in October 2022, recounted a grim episode where seven of its soldiers fell to an ambush on the Tadjourah Brigade. With defiant resolve, they promised to cast a net wide enough to haul in the perpetrators.
The Ethiopian government, touting the rhetoric of solidarity, labeled the assault “brutal and cowardly” and pledged unwavering support to Djibouti amidst these tempestuous security challenges.
In a noteworthy diplomatic sleight, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed its role in the “facilitation of release” for six Djibouti soldiers once captive to FRUD. Their liberation hailed as a coordinated success between Ethiopia and Afarta’s regional government, it stands as a rare testament to collaboration in these turbulent times.
As the shadows of conflict stretch long over this borderland, one questions the cost—can peace ever return, or is the region destined to perpetuate this cycle of vengeance and assault? The echoes of drone wings might yet fade, but the scars bore by those below remain indelibly inked. Tragedy, here, is no transient visitor.
– Kaab TV contributed to this report –
