Ethiopian air force admits air strike in Mekelle city

Ethiopia's air force conducted an air strike on Mekelle, capital of the country's Tigray region on Monday, targeting communications infrastructure, the state-run Ethiopian Press Agency said late in the day.

Earlier in the day, Ethiopia’s government has denied the attack.  

Ethiopia's government spokesman, Legesse Tulu, denied launching any attack. "Why would the Ethiopian government attack its own city? Mekelle is an Ethiopian city," he said.

"Terrorists are the ones who attack cities with innocent civilians in them, not government," Legesse added. He accused the TPLF of killing civilians in fighting in neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions.

An aid worker in Tigray said there had been air strikes in Mekelle. Reuters was unable to verify the reports in an area that is off-limits for journalists.
Humanitarian officials confirmed that with AFP. "Airstrike now in Mekele," one humanitarian official in the city said via SMS to AFP on condition of anonymity. The attacks were also confirmed by a second humanitarian source, two diplomats and a Tigray fighter’s spokesman.