A large number of civilians were killed in an air strike in the town of Mandi in western Ethiopia, which is located about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the capital Addis Abeba.
Locals claim that the strike took place on Wednesday at about noon in the town that Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) fighters have been in charge of for days following a battle with government security troops.
An unnamed citizen claimed that although the government was targeting militias, the majority of those killed and injured were civilians.
He claimed that a drone struck an OLA car that was stopped by the side of the road with some of its members inside, leading the fighters to detonate bombs that killed nearby people.
One of those killed was his buddy and fellow gospel preacher Tariku Wanna, a father of one girl. Before leaving him to go somewhere, he claimed they had lunch together at the location.
The number of civilians killed in the air strike, according to a local who spoke anonymously about his safety, was at least 20.
He claimed that seven to eight persons passed away instantly and another 13 were hospitalized but passed away there as a result of their injuries.
Oda Tarbi, a spokesman for the OLA, stated that 30 people had died, but she omitted to specify how many of their soldiers had also perished.
Politicians have denounced the attack, calling it “barbaric” and pleading with the government to spare the civilian population.
