Djibouti’s security forces carried out a drone strike near the Ethiopian border, killing eight members of the Armed Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUDA), a group classified as a terrorist organization by the Djibouti government.
The strike, which took place in the locality of Addorta, about six kilometers from the Ethiopian border, also resulted in an unspecified number of civilian casualties.
According to the Djibouti defense ministry, the drone strike targeted a terrorist group that had been involved in “hostile actions” posing a potential threat to the country’s advanced posts.
The ministry confirmed that eight terrorists were neutralized, but acknowledged “collateral damage” among Djiboutian civilians without providing further details.
The strike has sparked controversy, with an Ethiopian newspaper, the Addis Standard, reporting that the drone strike occurred on Ethiopian territory, a claim rejected by Djibouti.
The incident has raised concerns about the impact of military operations on civilians in the region.
The Armed Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUDA) has been involved in an anti-government insurgency in Djibouti since 1991, claiming to represent Afar interests against the Issas, the other major ethnic group in the country.
