13 Casualties Admitted to Ayder Hospital Following Drone Strike in Mekelle

Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital has reported receiving 13 casualties following a drone strike today in the Daero residential area of Mekelle, Tigray.

According to an update from the hospital’s Emergency Department, the injured, including both adults and children, arrived at Ayder Hospital at approximately 11:30 a.m. for emergency medical and surgical treatment.

Medical teams at the hospital are providing care to the victims. The hospital has not yet released further details regarding the severity of their injuries or their current conditions.

The incident comes amid renewed concerns over the security situation in Tigray.

Why is it called Ayder Hospital?

The name "Ayder" carries a painful historical significance. The hospital takes its name from the Ayder area of Mekelle, where Ayder School was struck by Eritrean fighter jets during the 1998-2000 Ethiopia-Eritrea war. The airstrike, which hit the school while children were present, killed and injured civilians, including schoolchildren.

The name Ayder therefore remains closely associated with the memory of the victims of that wartime attack. Today, Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital stands in the same community, serving the people of Tigray, including, once again, civilians and children injured by an aerial attack, this time by the Ethiopian government.

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Originally published on UMD Media Facebook on 2026-08-20T09:30:00-06:00. Source: https://www.facebook.com/getachew.UMDMedia