Strongly Condemning Air Strike on Village in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region, Secretary-General Reiterates Need to Protect Civilians

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the air strike on the village of Togoga in the Tigray region of Ethiopia on 22 June, which is reported to have killed many civilians.  He expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims.

The Secretary-General reiterates the need for all parties to uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law and to ensure the protection of civilians.  He calls for an independent and swift investigation into this incident.

The Secretary-General once again calls for an immediate end to the fighting and for urgent steps to peacefully resolve the conflict.