UNICEF condemns air strike on kindergarten in Tigray, Ethiopia

The United Nations has condemned an air raid that “hit a kindergarten” in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, killing at least four people, including two children.

“UNICEF strongly condemns the air strike in Mekelle, the capital city of the Tigray Region, Ethiopia,” said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell on Twitter on Friday.

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

In November 2020, Ethiopia’s PM Abiy Ahmed ordered a military offensive in the northern Tigray region against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). One year on, the fighting has left thousands dead, displaced more than 2 million people from their homes, fueled famine and given rise to a wave of atrocities.