Two Drone Strikes Reported East of Mekelle as Tensions Rise in Tigray

Two drone strikes were reported on Tuesday in Dandera village, Tabia 1st Woyane, Seb’a Enderta Woreda, around 15 kilometers east of Tigray’s capital Mekelle, amid growing fears of renewed large-scale conflict in the region.

According to Kelali Hagazi, Chief Administrator of the Southeastern Zone of Tigray, the first strike occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time and targeted an area being used as a training site for farmers.

Local authorities said there were no reported casualties or property damage from the morning strike.

A second drone strike was reported at approximately 4:10 p.m. in the same general area. Information about the precise target and whether the second strike caused casualties or damage was not immediately available.

On the reported attacks, there was no immediate public statement from Ethiopia’s federal authorities identifying responsibility for Tuesday’s strikes.

Second Reported Drone Attack in Less Than Ten Days

Tuesday’s incident is reported to be the second drone attack in less than ten days following the attack on Merewa Secondary School, in Raya Alamata district, Southern Tigray.

The latest reports come amid a sharp deterioration in the security situation across Tigray. On August 1, major fighting broke out between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigrayan forces around Shererina in western Tigray, near the Sudanese border. Both sides confirmed that fighting had occurred but blamed each other for initiating the confrontation. Reports from the area indicated that heavy weapons and drones were used during the clashes.

The Critical Threats Project reported that the August fighting represented the second major but limited confrontation between the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and TPLF forces in 2026. It also reported that the ENDF carried out artillery and drone strikes against Tigrayan positions during the western Tigray confrontation.

Pretoria Peace Agreement Under Growing Pressure

The developments have renewed concerns over the future of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, signed in November 2022 to end the devastating two-year war between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigrayan forces.

Relations between Addis Ababa and Tigray’s political and military leadership have deteriorated significantly since the agreement was signed, with disputes continuing over its implementation, political authority in Tigray and unresolved territorial questions. Recent military mobilizations and confrontations have increased fears that the fragile peace could collapse.

The reported strikes near Seb’a Enderta are particularly significant because of their proximity to Mekelle, potentially widening the geographical scope of the latest military escalation beyond the areas where recent ground fighting has been concentrated.

Authorities in Southeastern Tigray urged residents and security forces to exercise heightened caution following the reported strikes.

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Originally published on UMD Media Facebook on 2026-08-18T09:00:00-06:00. Source: https://www.facebook.com/getachew.UMDMedia