This archive report was first published on 24 June 2021.
June 24, 2021 - A devastating air strike in Ethiopia's Tigray region has claimed the lives of at least 64 people and left 180 injured, according to local health officials.
Speaking to AFP, Mulu Atsbaha, an advisor to the Tigray regional administration on maternal and child health, described the scene of the strike, which occurred in the market area of Togoga town.
'The air strike was in the market area, so many, many people were injured,' Mulu said.
The strike, which took place on Tuesday, also left 180 injured, Mulu added, citing reports from residents of Togoga town and 'confirmed with local leaders.'
However, Ethiopia's army spokesman, Colonel Getnet Adane, disputed the claims, stating that the military's target was rebel fighters, not civilians.
'We do not accept that this operation targeted civilians,' Colonel Adane said. 'Those injured or killed were fighters in civilian clothes.'
But survivors and health workers paint a different picture, describing aerial explosions striking a busy market at the peak of trading, killing and injuring dozens, including children.
The United Nations has called for an urgent investigation into the strike, which has sparked widespread condemnation.
