BBC Amharic – Drone attack leaves scores killed in Kiremu District of Oromia Region say witnesses
Disclaimer: This is an English translation of an Amharic article taken from BBC Amharic and is intended solely for information purposes.
BBC Amharic – Drone attack leaves scores killed in Kiremu District of Oromia Region say witnesses
November 12, 2026
Last week a drone attack in Kiremu District of Oromia Region left more than 30 people killed according to family members of victims and residents who spoke to BBC.
BBC spoke to five witnesses who said last Friday, November 6, 2026 (Tikimit 27, 2019 EC) an attack left 36 people killed including women and children in Kiremu District in the newly formed West Oromia Zone and former East Wollega Zone.
The attack targeted civilians previously displaced from Gida Ayana District since last Nehase (corresponds to period between August 7 to September 5, 2026) who were traveling towards Amhara Region out of fear for their lives, said witnesses.
BBC’s efforts to contact Oromia Region officials and the Ethiopian National Defense Force for response were unsuccessful.
Residents said the number of displaced persons was believed to be between 200 and 300 and included children and elderly persons.
This area of the region had long faced instability and repeated attacks has displaced a significant number of people.
Friday’s drone attack targeted persons displaced from their homes escaping on foot to rural areas, said residents.
“We saw the drone hovering as we were traveling at night using flashlights. Turn the flashlights off” we advised as the drone fired suddenly, explained one resident who asked that their name not be mentioned.
Another of BBC’s sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said the attack was carried out in an area called Wedessa Dima at 10 pm at night, he said adding the drone attacked two times.
“The resulting casualties were severe. We are in a time it has become difficult to live. The attack on Friday targeted 27 people who were displaced due to the Gada Commando. At least 36 people died. Among them were infants being carried” they said.
Among those killed in the attack were eight children, 17 mothers including five pregnant mothers, three visually impaired monks and three elderly persons older than 60 years of age said the witness.
“There were persons whose identity could not be identified” they said.
BBC could not independently verify the reported attack and resulting casualties.
Attacks against peaceful citizens have worsened across various areas in Wollega, with primary victims being civilians.
Numerous armed forces operate in Abe Dongoro, Kiremu, and Gida Ayana Districts of West Oromia Zone, and among them are rival armed groups including locally organized militias and forces aligned with the state.
Starting from 2011 EC (corresponds to period between September 11, 2018 to September 11, 2019) ongoing clashes between the Oromo Liberation Army and federal authorities have been the primary cause of insecurity in western Oromia.
Federal and regional officials have repeatedly conducted military operations to weaken and halt activity by the armed group which they refer to as Shene.
However other armed forces including militants operating under the name of Fano also operate in the area and have further complicated the security problem.
One resident who lost four close relatives in the attack on Friday said following the attack, they transported four of their brother’s relatives who survived the attack for medical care and said they heard the number killed exceeded 30.
“Overall, it was civilians who were killed, they had escaped attacks by the Gada Commando and were traveling on foot across the country. This was carried out against innocent mothers who had just given birth and against children” they said explaining the severity of the casualties.
The victim said they lost eight family members in the attack, “my brother was killed along with his two children and wife. I am also carying for another four people who were wounded” they said explaining their current circumstance.
The resident recalled sending off their family members as they passed through the Wedessa Dima locality where the resident resided, and as they began returning, they heard the sounds of gunfire.
“Then I received a phone call, and I went to the area and I found them in a state I feared” they said.
The resident said the wounded had not received adequate medical care, and said they saw 16 people wounded in the attack including their own family members.
Another eyewitness said they were traveling on the Kiremu side towards the Gojjam area of Amhara Region when the attack took place.
The witness said the displaced persons were displaced from their homes after escaping repeated attacks which left them in a state of insecurity.
“It is tragic. We buried those who were killed there in the forest, they had fallen there like animals. It is very tragic. We retrieved the bodies in the morning and buried them en masse. The people were shocked and were unable to carry them, we feared going to the church” they said.
The resident said two children carried by their mothers survived the attack by some miracle. One child sustained injury but survived while the other was on the brink of death, they explained.
Another resident who spoke to BBC said burials were held for 36 victims including eight children under the age of five killed in the attack.
“They had been displaced from the areas of Ali, Waja, and Meleketa Andode in Gida Ayana District and they were traveling they told us. When they reached our kebele we gave supplies to those who didn’t have any and helped the fatigured ones to get rest before sending them off. The attack was carried out while they were on the road” they said.
The resident said those killed in the attack were buried en masse there in Wedessa Dima Kebele, “we feared if we gathered together to travel to the church we could be struck again so we gathered and buried them” they explained.
After the attack other community members are being displaced due to fear said residents.
“After the attack was carried out yesterday night there was drone surveillance but it did not strike again. It is conducting surveillance now as well” they said.
Residents told BBC Oromigna that attacks by militants killed an unspecified number of persons and displaced a significant number in Kiremu, Abe Dongoro and Gida Ayana Districts of western Oromia.
Residents said a significant number of livestock and property were looted in the attacks.
The Oromia Region Communications Service Head Ato Hailu Adugna confirmed attacks were undertaken against civilians in three districts.
When speaking about the militants which carried out the attacks Ato Hailu said “Amharic speaking Shene and Oromigna speaking Shene” were responsible for the attacks.
Authorities have stated it is undertaking measures against militants in districts where the attacks were said to take place.
BBC's efforts to obtain responses from the Ethiopian National Defense Force and Oromia Region Government Communications regarding the attack last week on Friday were not successful.
Spokespeople for the Ethiopian National Defense Force and regional state communications did not respond to phone calls and written questions from BBC.
Residents have said regional state forces known as “Gada Commando” were responsible for attacks in the area however regional authorities have rejected the presence of an armed force known as Gada Commando.
In a recent BBC interview it can be recalled that peace and security division advisor to Oromia Region President General Hailu Gonfa said “we have no structure known as the Gada Commando.”
Comments