UN condemns Ethiopian airstrike on kindergarten

The United Nations has condemned an Ethiopian airstrike that “hit a kindergarten” in the northern Tigray region, killing at least four people on Saturday.

“UNICEF strongly condemns the airstrike in Mekele, the capital city of the Tigray Region, Ethiopia,” said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell on Twitter.

Russell added, “The strike hit a kindergarten, killing several children, and injuring others. UNICEF calls on all parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities.”

The strike on Friday resulted in the deaths of four civilians including two children, according to hospital officials.

However, Tigrai TV, a local network gave higher number of casualties, raising the death toll to seven including three children. No exact numbers are given as the region is under strict control.

The uneasy five-month truce between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has been shattered, as fighting between rebels and government forces has intensified along the region's border.

The Ethiopian government denied having any hand in the casualties, emphasizing that government forces only target military sites and accusing the TPLF forces of staging civilian deaths.

MG