Addis Abeba — A series of drone strikes reportedly killed three people, including a two-year-old child, and injured four others in MyShumet area near Freweyni in Hintalo District of southeastern Tigray, according to Tigray Television.
Discover moreLaw and justicepoliticsEthiopian political analysis The strikes reportedly began at around 2:00 a.m. on 8 September and hit what district administrator Goytom Tesfay described as a civilian residential area. He told Tigray TV that the attacks resulted in three deaths and injuries to four others.
The district administration accused the "Ethiopian government of deliberately targeting civilians", alleging that "the strikes were part of what it described as a continuing campaign against the people of Tigray."
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The allegations could not be independently verified by Addis Standard, and there was no immediate statement from the Ethiopian government regarding the reported strikes or the casualties.
The latest reported strike comes amid renewed concerns over repeated drone and air attacks in Tigray following the August clashes in western Tigray involving Tigrayan forces and federal government forces. Addis Standard reported on 28 August 2026 that Tigray authorities had raised concerns over civilian casualties and damage to public infrastructure linked to the reported strikes.
Geographic Reference The Tigray Education Bureau accused the Ethiopian government of intensifying attacks on the region's education sector, alleging that a series of air and drone strikes in 2026 had destroyed schools, damaged educational facilities, and injured teachers and their family members as the region prepared for the 2026/27 academic year.
In a statement issued in Mekelle on 27 August, the bureau described what it called a continuing "pattern of destruction" targeting schools, teachers and students, alleging that the latest strikes were intended to disrupt the resumption of education in the region.
Discover moreMagazinesDemographicsCurrent events summariesHistoryLocal NewsAfricans & DiasporaEthiopian election 2026PoliticsNewspapersGeographic Reference According to the bureau, the reported destruction of educational facilities formed part of a broader pattern that began during the Tigray war in 2020 and, it alleged, had intensified during the 2025/26 period. The bureau said the timing of the latest attacks coincided with the registration period for the upcoming academic year.
"The primary reason for intensifying airstrikes targeting schools and teachers specifically this week is that the registration period for the upcoming 2026/2027 academic year has arrived," the bureau said.
Local News The bureau further alleged that preventing teachers and students from returning to schools was being used as a means of undermining the region's education system and future.
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It cited several incidents during 2026 in which it said air and drone strikes had affected educational institutions and civilians. The allegations were not independently verified by Addis Standard at the time, and the Ethiopian government had not publicly responded to the bureau's accusations.
According to the statement, an airstrike in January hit Zalaqme Primary School in Kola Tembien woreda, completely destroying four classrooms and student drinking water facilities. The bureau said the damage prevented 432 enrolled students from returning to school.
On 10 August, a drone strike hit Merewa General Secondary School in Raya Alamata woreda, damaging four classrooms and educational equipment and affecting the planned return to school of more than 800 students during the upcoming academic year.
The bureau further said that the airstrike on 20 August targeted teachers' residential housing in Hawelti sub-city in Mekelle, leaving more than 14 teachers and family members with severe and minor injuries.
The attack, according to the bureau, also completely destroyed homes that teachers had built through loans obtained from financial institutions, along with household property.
In the latest attack cited in the statement is the drone strike on 26 August hitting Gejet General Secondary School in Seharti woreda, destroying classrooms and 35 computers provided through the World Bank-supported General Education Quality Improvement Program for Equity, known as GEQIP-E or the 3R program.
The school served about 500 students, according to the bureau.
