ADDIS ABABA: The UN children’s agency UNICEF on Saturday condemned an air strike that “hit a kindergarten” in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, killing at least four people including two children.
Friday’s strike in the Tigray capital Mekele came days after fighting erupted on the region’s southern border between government forces and rebels, ending a five-month truce.
“UNICEF strongly condemns the air strike ... (that) hit a kindergarten, killing several children, and injuring others,” UNICEF’s executive director Catherine Russell said on Twitter.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that controls the northern region said the air raid demolished a kindergarten and hit a civilian residential area, claims the government denied.
Addis Ababa said it only targeted military sites, and accused the TPLF of staging civilian deaths.
Kibrom Gebreselassie, chief clinical director at Mekele’s Ayder Referral Hospital, told AFP that four people were killed in the strike, including two children.
Nine others were receiving treatment for injuries, he said.
Tigrai TV, a local network, said the death toll had reached seven and broadcast footage of mangled playground equipment at the apparent scene of the strike.
Russell said the 21-month war in Ethiopia’s north had “caused children to pay the heaviest price.”
“For almost two years, children and their families in the region have endured the agony of this conflict. It must end,” she said.
UN condemns air strike in Ethiopia that ‘hit kindergarten’
https://arab.news/gyuf6
UN condemns air strike in Ethiopia that ‘hit kindergarten’
- Friday’s strike in the Tigray capital Mekele came days after fighting erupted on the region’s southern border between government forces and rebels
EU should consider forming combined military force: defense chief
- Kubilius floated creating a “powerful, standing ‘European military force’ of 100,000 troops” that could eventually replace US forces
- Trump has heightened fears among NATO allies over Washington’s reliability by insisting he wants to take over Greenland
BRUSSELS: EU countries should weigh whether to set up a combined military force that could eventually replace US troops in Europe, the bloc’s defense chief said Sunday.
EU defense commissioner Andrius Kubilius floated creating a “powerful, standing ‘European military force’ of 100,000 troops” as a possible option to better protect the continent.
“How will we replace the 100,000-strong American standing military force, which is the back-bone military force in Europe?” he asked in a speech in Sweden.
The suggestion comes as US President Donald Trump has heightened fears among NATO allies over Washington’s reliability by insisting he wants to take over Greenland.
Worries over Trump’s commitment to Europe have already spurred countries to step up efforts to bolster their militaries in the face of the threat posed by Russia.
Ideas about establishing a central European army have floated around for years but have largely failed to gain traction as nations are wary of relinquishing control over their militaries.
The US has pushed its European allies to increasingly take over responsibility for their own security, and raised the prospect it could shift forces from Europe to focus on China.
“In such times, we should not run away from the most pressing questions on our institutional defense readiness,” said Kubilius, a former Lithuanian prime minister.
In his speech Kubilius also advocated for the creation of a “European Security Council” of key powers — including potentially Britain — that could help the continent take decisions over its own defense quicker.
“The European Security Council could be composed of key permanent members, along with several rotational members,” he said.
“In total around 10-12 members, with the task to discuss the most important issues in defense.”
He said the first focus of such a body should be trying to change the dynamics in the war in Ukraine to ensure that Kyiv does not end up losing.
“We need to have a clear answer — how is the EU going to change that scenario?,” he said.
“This is the reason why we need to have a European Security Council now!“
