This archive report was first published on 24 June 2021.
June 24, 2021, marked a devastating day in Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray region as an air strike on a market left at least 64 people dead and 180 injured.
According to local health officer Mulu Atsbaha, the attack occurred in Togoga town, 30 kilometers northwest of the regional capital Mekele, on Tuesday.
Victims at the hospital suffered shrapnel wounds and burns, with some requiring amputations to save their lives.
The Ethiopian military admitted carrying out the attack but claimed it targeted rebel fighters, not civilians.
However, survivors and local leaders disputed this claim, with some estimating that over 50 people died in the attack.
International outrage has followed the strike, with the United States calling it a 'reprehensible act' and the European Union warning that blocking ambulances from reaching the scene would be a grave violation of international law.
Despite the criticism, Ethiopia's foreign ministry spokesman Dina Mufti rejected the claims, accusing the rebels of using human shields to draw attacks.
The attack comes as vote counting is underway following Monday's national elections in Ethiopia, with no vote held in Tigray due to the conflict.
