11 March 2024
The Chief of General Staff of the Ethiopian Armed Forces, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, said that his army has never used drones to attack residents in the ongoing conflicts in different parts of the country.
Field Marshal Birhanu said this in a two-hour interview with the national television channel, and gave a detailed explanation about the military conflicts currently taking place in the Amhara and Oromia regions.
Although there have been many reports, including the government’s human rights organization, that civilians are being harmed due to the actions taken by the country’s defense forces in conflict areas, the chief of staff has denied the allegations in his interview.
“We have never hit people with drones,” said the army commander who dismissed the allegations of drone attacks on civilians. We do not attack people with drones, we identify an armed and organized anti-peace force based on research.
He added that if the militants who are “anti-peace” join the people, for the sake of the people, “we will go without hitting” Field Marshal Berhanu; “If it wasn’t for that, they wouldn’t be alive. “If we were to just crush and beat them together, they wouldn’t have stayed until now,” he said.
The military commander said, “Our drone will either land on Shene or Jawisa, not on the people. Both Oromia and Amhara people know this,” he said, noting that drone attacks carried out during military operations in the two regions only target militants.
Field Marshal Birhanu Jula said this, but residents and human rights organizations claim that many innocent people have been killed due to drone attacks at different times and places.
In a statement issued by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission last October; In the Amhara region, he said, “Civilians were killed and injured due to attacks by heavy weapons, including air/drone weapons, and people were forced to flee their homes.”
In the same statement, the governmental human rights organization; It is recalled that he announced that “several civilians” including a one-year-seven-month-old child were killed in a drone attack in Berehet district of the North Showa zone.
In addition, Ismeko pointed out in a statement that “at least eight people were killed” in a drone attack in Debre Markos.
The United Nations Human Rights Commission also stated in a statement released at the beginning of November that drone attacks are causing damage.
The BBC also reported that at least 30 people were killed in a drone attack in Moja and Chevra districts of the North Showa zone of the Amhara region in the middle of February.
Similarly, residents and health professionals told the BBC that at least five people were killed in a drone attack on an ambulance in Wogel Health City in the South Wolo Zone last December.
In an interview with ETV, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula mentioned that there is a case that “Mekalekya is massacring the Amhara people and the Oromo people”; “Go and hear from the people whether we are slaughtering or not slaughtering; We don’t massacre the people, the one who massacres [the people] is Baiyu himself,” they accused.
 About a month ago, in a statement issued by ISEMCO, the government security forces in Marawi City, North Gojam Zone, Amhara Region; He announced the “extrajudicial killing” of at least 45 people for “supporting Fano”.
According to the information obtained by the BBC by talking to the residents of Merawi city at the time, more than 50 people mentioned the families of the victims of the attack, who were “cleaned up” by the security forces during a house-to-house search.
Various countries, including the American ambassador, expressed their concern over the killing of residents in the city of Merawi, and called for an investigation and the perpetrators to be held accountable.
“It is the Ethiopian Defense Forces that made the Somali government occupy Mogadishu”
Another issue that Field Marshal Birhanu Jula raised in his interview is the peacekeeping issue in the neighboring country of Somalia.
The field marshal reminded that the Ethiopian Defense Forces are maintaining peace in Somalia under the African Union Transitional Mission (ATMIS). He stated that more than half of Somalia’s territory is protected by the Ethiopian Defense Forces.
The army commander who said that his army has a major role in the peace of Somalia. “It is the Ethiopian army that made Mogadishu occupy Mogadishu,” he said.
“We have done a good [job] in fighting al-Shabaab,” said the Field Marshal; They also agreed that “the regions of Somalia think that they will provide maximum protection to the Ethiopian army.”
The field marshal said that the Somali leaders are not showing the respect that the Somali people give to the Ethiopian intervention army recently. This is ingratitude,” they were told with strong words.
Just like the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently told the House of Representatives that there is no other government that can compete for the peace and unity of Somalia.
After Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, which declared its independence last December, Somalia objected to the agreement, stating that it violates its sovereignty, and there has been a dispute between the two countries.
In the agreement signed by Ethiopia and Somaliland, it was said that Somaliland will lease a 20 km long coastline for use by Ethiopia and in return, Ethiopia will recognize Somaliland as a nation.
But between Prime Minister Abiy and Somaliland President Bihi on December 22/2016. Although it is said that the signed memorandum of understanding will be implemented within a month, nothing has been said from either side regarding the implementation status.
Another issue that Field Marshal Birhanu Jula raised in his interview is the peacekeeping issue in the neighboring country of Somalia.
The field marshal reminded that the Ethiopian Defense Forces are maintaining peace in Somalia under the African Union Transitional Mission (ATMIS). He stated that more than half of Somalia’s territory is protected by the Ethiopian Defense Forces.
The army commander who said that his army has a major role in the peace of Somalia. “It is the Ethiopian army that made Mogadishu occupy Mogadishu,” he said.
“We have done a good [job] in fighting al-Shabaab,” said the Field Marshal; They also agreed that “the regions of Somalia think that they will provide maximum protection to the Ethiopian army.”
The field marshal said that the Somali leaders are not showing the respect that the Somali people give to the Ethiopian intervention army recently. This is ingratitude,” they were told with strong words.
Just like the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently told the House of Representatives that there is no other government that can compete for the peace and unity of Somalia.
After Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, which declared its independence last December, Somalia objected to the agreement, stating that it violates its sovereignty, and there has been a dispute between the two countries.
In the agreement signed by Ethiopia and Somaliland, it was said that Somaliland will lease a 20 km long coastline for use by Ethiopia and in return, Ethiopia will recognize Somaliland as a nation.
But between Prime Minister Abiy and Somaliland President Bihi on December 22/2016. Although it is said that the signed memorandum of understanding will be implemented within a month, nothing has been said from either side regarding the implementation status.
