Ending the information war requires moving beyond unverified social media clips. One practical step involves deploying high-resolution commercial satellite imagery, such as data from Maxar or Planet Labs. These sensors can track heavy machinery, troop convoys, and scorched earth patterns across the Ethiopian highlands. When combined with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), monitors can see through cloud cover, making traditional weather-based excuses for lack of visibility obsolete.
Ground-level verification remains essential. An independent commission, composed of neutral observers from organizations like the African Union (AU) or UNAMID-style technical teams, should establish fixed monitoring posts. These teams can use acoustic sensors to detect artillery fire and seismic sensors to register heavy explosions. Such data provides a physical baseline that digital propaganda cannot easily fake.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) protocols also offer a solution. Experts can use geolocation techniques to cross-reference user-generated videos with known landmarks. By synchronizing metadata and shadow analysis, analysts can confirm if a strike happened where a party claims it did. This multi-layered approach—satellites, sensors, and OSINT—creates a verifiable record. It replaces hearsay with hard evidence, making it harder for combatants to manipulate the narrative.
