15 Dead in Ethiopia Drone Strikes as WHO Warns of Health Collapse

The World Health Organization reported Monday that fighting between Tigrayan rebels and Ethiopia's federal government is pushing the country's health system toward collapse, according to a statement from Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cited by Al Jazeera.

What did the WHO director-general say?

Tedros, who is Tigrayan, said hospitals in northern Ethiopia face shortages of health workers, medicines and equipment, and that ambulance services are "severely limited." He said insecurity is obstructing delivery of medical supplies to some areas. "As fighting continues, more people are likely to lose access to essential healthcare, including emergency services, maternal and child healthcare and treatment for diseases," he said, per the statement reported by Al Jazeera.

How many people were killed in the drone strikes?

At least 15 people, several of them children, died in a series of drone strikes that hit the Jaari 2 displacement camp in Ethiopia's Amhara region on Friday, sources involved in the rescue operation told Reuters. Tedros confirmed children were among those reported killed at the camp but did not give an overall casualty toll and did not identify who carried out the strikes, Al Jazeera reported.

By the numbers

• 15+ dead, including children, in the Jaari 2 camp strikes (Reuters, via rescue-operation sources)
• 2022: the year Tigray and Addis Ababa signed the peace agreement now described as largely shattered

What happened in Rama, Tigray?

Across the regional border in Rama, in Tigray, several people were killed while seeking food, according to the WHO statement relayed by Al Jazeera. No death count or responsible party was specified for that incident either, underscoring the limited, fast-moving nature of the reporting from the conflict zone.

Why is the 2022 peace deal collapsing?

Renewed fighting between an alliance of Tigrayan rebels and the federal government has "all but shattered" the November 2022 peace agreement between the two sides, Al Jazeera reported, citing the current wave of drone strikes and civilian deaths. The outlet noted the renewed violence is stoking fears of a wider conflict, though the sourcing does not specify which party initiated the latest strikes.

What is the WHO doing in response?

Tedros said the WHO and other United Nations agencies are working to deliver additional medical supplies to affected areas. He called for civilians to be protected and for health workers and medical products to be allowed to reach people in need, without detailing a timeline or volume of aid.

What do Tigray, Amhara and the 2022 deal mean?

• Tigray: Northern Ethiopian region whose rebel alliance fought federal forces before the 2022 agreement.
• Amhara: Neighboring region where the Jaari 2 displacement camp strike occurred.
• 2022 peace agreement: The November 2022 deal between Tigrayan forces and Addis Ababa that Al Jazeera reports has now largely broken down amid renewed fighting.

The reporting, credited to Al Jazeera staff, Reuters and the Associated Press, does not identify which side carried out the drone strikes, and WHO's statement stopped short of an overall death toll for the conflict — gaps that remain open as aid groups try to reach the region.