
Djibouti’s security forces conducted a drone strike near the Ethiopian border, resulting in the deaths of eight members of a rebel group and an unspecified number of civilians, the government announced on Sunday.
The Ministry of Defense stated that the attack targeted a “terrorist group” in Addorta, a location approximately six kilometers from the Ethiopian border.
While the ministry confirmed the neutralization of eight rebels, it acknowledged “collateral damage” among Djiboutian civilians.
Alexis Mohamed, an advisor to President Ismael Omar Guelleh, identified the militants as members of the Armed Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD A), a group designated as terrorist by the Djiboutian government.
The Ethiopian daily Addis Standard reported the drone strike occurred within Ethiopian territory, a claim Djibouti vehemently denied.
In October 2022, a similar attack on a military barracks in Garabtisan resulted in the deaths of seven soldiers and the kidnapping of six.
FRUD, an armed group representing the Afar community in northern Djibouti, has a history of anti-government rebellion dating back to 1991.
While a portion of FRUD has aligned with the current government, its armed wing, FRUD A, continues to carry out attacks.
Djibouti, strategically located on a vital shipping route, hosts significant military bases for both the United States and France.