In brief
The UN Human Rights Council has witnessed urgent calls from its chief, Volker Türk, for the United States to finalize and release findings from its investigation into a missile strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Iran, which reportedly resulted in high civilian casualties. Türk condemned the attack as a 'visceral horror' and emphasized the necessity for justice, while U.S. military officials hint at a possible accidental involvement. Iranian authorities describe the attack as a deliberate assault, with calls for transparency in the investigation process.
The UN's human rights chief has urged the U.S. 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 UN Human Rights Council debate, adding 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, Iranian officials have said.
U.S. media have reported that American military investigators believe its own forces were likely responsible for hitting the school unintentionally.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth previously said the matter was being investigated.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the bombing as a deliberate and intentional attack by the U.S., stating that it cannot be justified, concealed, and must not be met with silence and indifference.
As U.S. congressional Democrats demand answers about the incident, questions arise whether outdated target analysis by U.S. forces led to the school building being struck instead of its intended target, an adjacent base associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Recent satellite imagery indicates that the school had been operational since 2018, debunking claims that it was a military target. The incident highlights the tragic impact of military conflicts on innocent lives, emphasizing the moral responsibilities of those conducting military operations.
Türk has insisted on an immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation into the attack, with hopes for the findings to be disclosed promptly.
