By The Habesha News Desk
September 28, 2025
Once again, Ethiopians are forced to confront the bitter truth: Abiy Ahmed’s regime is waging war not against terrorism, but against its own people. Over the weekend, the Ethiopian Defense Forces conducted drone strikes in the Amhara region near Woldia, targeting areas under Fano resistance. What the government calls “military operations” have once again translated into the murder of civilians.
Civilian Lives as Collateral
Residents from Jarsa Ber and Sanka recount horrifying scenes of repeated drone strikes and continued gunfire. At least two civilians have been confirmed dead, with many more wounded. Doctors and medical staff—humanitarian professionals whose only mission is to save lives—are reportedly among the victims. A health center, meant to be a sanctuary of healing, was turned into a battlefield by government drones. This is not defense—it is state-sponsored terrorism.
A Regime in Panic
These attacks follow humiliating defeats suffered by Abiy’s army at the hands of the Amhara Fano National Force. At Beklo Manekia and surrounding areas, government forces were routed, leaving more than 470 soldiers dead and over 500 captured. The scale of loss has shaken the regime’s narrative of “peace and stability.” Instead of reflecting on its catastrophic failures, the government doubles down with indiscriminate violence from the skies. Drone warfare has become Abiy Ahmed’s cowardly substitute for real leadership.
The Myth of Reform Shattered
Abiy Ahmed once promised peace and reconciliation. He even held a Nobel Prize as a symbol of hope. Today, he stands exposed as one of Africa’s most ruthless authoritarians. The deployment of drones against civilian populations reveals his regime’s desperation. A leader confident in his legitimacy does not bomb health centers; he listens to the people. Abiy Ahmed has chosen cruelty over dialogue, repression over reform, and fear over freedom.
Why the World Must Not Remain Silent
The drone strikes in Amhara are not isolated incidents—they are part of a broader pattern of systematic abuses: arbitrary arrests, torture of dissenters, silencing of independent media, and now, war crimes against civilians. Ethiopia’s tragedy deepens each day as Abiy Ahmed clings to power by force, indifferent to the suffering of millions.
The international community must confront this reality. Sanctions, investigations, and humanitarian interventions are no longer optional—they are urgent necessities. Silence only emboldens tyrants, and Abiy Ahmed is counting on the world to look away.
A People Who Refuse to Bow
Yet, amid the destruction, there is resistance. The Fano forces, derided as rebels by the government, are seen by many Ethiopians as guardians of dignity and defenders of their communities. Their victories—despite overwhelming odds and the regime’s sophisticated weaponry—are testimony to the resilience of a people who refuse to bow to tyranny.
Abiy Ahmed’s regime has crossed every moral boundary. By bombing civilians, targeting doctors, and spreading fear across Amhara, he has lost every claim to legitimacy. Ethiopia’s future will not be written by drones in the sky but by the people on the ground who demand freedom, justice, and an end to this cruel dictatorship.
Abiy Ahmed’s English Speeches: A Façade of Fluency or a Question of Authenticity?