Eight people killed in drone strike on monastery in Ethiopia
Two nuns and six priests were killed in the strike on the monastery; several more people were seriously injured.
In Ethiopia, eight people were killed as a result of a drone strike on an Orthodox monastery. The tragedy occurred on July 22 in the Amhara region during a festive church service. Two nuns and six priests were among the victims of the attack; several more people sustained serious injuries. This was reported by Christian Today.
The human rights organization International Christian Concern suggested that government forces were behind the attack, which were conducting an operation against militants of the Fano group. Ethiopian authorities justified the strike by the possible presence of rebels on the monastery's grounds. World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary Jerry Pillay called the killing of worshippers in a place of worship absolutely unacceptable.
"Religious institutions and civilians must never be targeted in military operations," Pillay stated. The WCC head called on the international community to conduct an immediate and transparent investigation in order to hold those responsible accountable. Local clergy note that the transformation of a holy site into a zone of death has caused severe psychological trauma to the faithful.
The armed confrontation with the Fano group, which advocates for the interests of the local Amhara ethnic group, has been ongoing in Ethiopia since 2018. During this time, attacks on peaceful communities and religious sites have been repeatedly recorded in the region.
As the Union of Orthodox Journalists reported, Islamists burned an ancient Orthodox church in Ethiopia.
