A recent Facebook post shared images that it claimed showed the devastating impact of airstrikes carried out by the Ethiopian military in September 2026 in the Tigray region. The post, which has been flagged as false by PesaCheck, features images of destruction and smoke, with people standing near the affected area. According to the post, the airstrikes were part of a military operation in the Tigray region.
However, a thorough investigation by PesaCheck using Google reverse image search revealed that the images were not taken in September 2026, as claimed. Instead, the images were found to have been taken in October 2021 in the city of Mekele, the capital of Tigray. A CBS News article published in October 2021 featured one of the images, describing it as showing people standing near a burning building after an airstrike in Mekele on October 20, 2021.
Further investigation by PesaCheck found that the second image was also taken in October 2021, as reported by the Associated Press (AP). The AP article described the image as showing people fleeing near a burning building after an airstrike in Mekele on October 20, 2021. The images were shared on Facebook with a caption claiming they were from September 2026, which PesaCheck has confirmed to be false.
The Ethiopian military did carry out airstrikes in Tigray in September 2026, but the images shared on Facebook do not show the aftermath of those strikes. According to reports, the Ethiopian military launched airstrikes on September 8, 2026, targeting the MyShumet area near the town of Freweyni in the Hintalo district of southern Tigray.
The incident occurred amid ongoing tensions between the Ethiopian government and rebel groups in the Tigray region. Several rebel groups, including those from Tigray and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), have been engaged in talks to form an alliance to challenge the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
PesaCheck is part of the Code for Africa initiative, which aims to promote fact-checking and media literacy in Africa. The organization works to verify the accuracy of information shared on social media, particularly in regards to government activities and public services. PesaCheck's fact-checking efforts are supported by Deutsche Welle Akademie and other partners.
In conclusion, PesaCheck has confirmed that the images shared on Facebook were falsely claimed to show the aftermath of September 2026 airstrikes in Tigray. The images were actually taken in October 2021, and their misuse on social media is a reminder of the need for fact-checking and verification in the digital age.
Key points
- The images shared on Facebook were taken in October 2021, not September 2026 as claimed.
- The Ethiopian military did carry out airstrikes in Tigray in September 2026, but the images do not show the aftermath of those strikes.
- PesaCheck's fact-checking efforts aim to promote accuracy and media literacy in Africa.
