“More than 50 civilians killed in school airstrike by Ethiopian government army” | Abroad

The airstrike was carried out by a drone that dropped three bombs on the school in the town of Dedebit. Thousands of residents have been displaced there by the conflict between the regime and the insurgents in Tigray. The attack mainly killed the elderly, women and children sleeping in tents and a school building: 19 of the dead were children, 18 were older than 50.

“The use of guided bombs, without evidence of a military target, indicates that this was a clear war crime.” HRW’s investigation found no evidence of military targets at the site.

The organization also points out that the government has been de facto besieging Tigray since last summer. Humanitarian aid is barely getting into the region, leaving the hospital to which the wounded were sent without basic medical supplies such as surgical gloves. It was not until mid-January that medical assistance was provided again.

Nearly a year and a half ago, Addis Ababa launched what, in the words of Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmed, was “short and strong” against the TPLF, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. In October last year, the number of air raids by the government increased sharply, and since mid-December there has been a sharp increase again. According to the UN, the conflict has already displaced more than 400,000 people.

HRW points out that the government military is the only party that has acknowledged owning drones and that there are media reports and satellite images of armed drones at their air bases.

More than 300 people were killed and nearly 400 others injured in airstrikes on Tigray between late November and late February, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The human rights organization also wants a moratorium on arms sales and military aid to the parties involved, “due to widespread abuse by all parties”.