In brief
Following a missile strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Iran that resulted in the deaths of at least 168 individuals, including around 110 children, the UN's human rights chief has requested the US to quickly conclude its investigation into the incident. Volker Türk emphasized the necessity for justice and accountability for the substantial harm inflicted on innocent civilians. The attack, believed to have been a result of US military action, raises pressing concerns about civilian safety in conflict situations.
The UN's human rights chief has urged the US to conclude its investigation and publish its findings into a deadly strike on an Iranian primary school that happened on the first day of the war last month. The bombing evoked a visceral horror, Volker Türk said at an urgent debate in the UN Human Rights Council, asserting that there must be justice for the terrible harm done. The attack on Shajareh Tayyebeh school consisted of two missile strikes in quick succession that killed at least 168 people, including about 110 children, according to Iranian officials. US media have reported that American military investigators believe its own forces were likely responsible for hitting the school unintentionally. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth previously indicated that the matter was being investigated.The strike, if confirmed to involve the US, would represent one of the worst single incidents of civilian casualties in recent US military history in the Middle East. Türk highlighted, The images of bombed-out classrooms and grieving parents showed clearly who pays the highest price for war: civilians with no power in the decisions that led to conflict. He insisted that those responsible should investigate the incident promptly, impartially, transparently, and thoroughly.Interestingly, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced the bombing as a deliberate and intentional action by the US, declaring that it can't be justified and should not be met with indifference. Subsequent letters from nearly every Senate Democrat called for urgent answers regarding the strike in Minab, particularly questioning whether the US was involved.The Pentagon stated it would respond to congressional inquiries and reiterated its prohibition against targeting civilians. Reports from The New York Times indicate that outdated targeting data may have led to the school being struck, with the intended target being an adjacent base belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This incident marks a profound humanitarian crisis, emphasizing the grave consequences of military operations on civilian lives.
