Ethiopian airstrike on a town square in the restive Amhara region kills 26, health official says

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

airstrike on a crowded town square in Ethiopia's restive Amhara region killed at least 26 people and wounded more than 55 others, a senior health official said Monday, days after authorities asserted that calm had been restored in the area. Local militia members have been clashing with Ethiopia's military over efforts to disband them, and last week the military retook key Amhara towns by force. The airstrike hit the center of the Finote Selam community on Sunday, said the health official, who like other people spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

The official said 22 people died at the scene and several of the wounded had to undergo amputations. Two residents said the airstrike targeted a truck carrying civilians who were returning from delivering food to fighters with the militia known as Fano. Their account could not be verified.

A federal government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. «We heard a heavy sound coming from the sky,» a local teacher said. «When it fell, lots of people were killed and injured.» The state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission on Monday noted «credible reports of strikes and shelling» in Finote Selam and other Amhara towns «resulting in many civilian casualties.» It also said Amhara regional officials were the target of attacks, with some killed, «resulting in the temporary collapse of local state structure in many areas.» Ethiopia's Cabinet declared a state of emergency earlier this month in the Amhara region.