UN chief 'deeply concerned' over Ethiopia violence

Antonio Guterres' spokesperson on Monday said the UN secretary-general is "is deeply concerned over the escalation of the conflict in northern Ethiopia."

It comes as Ethiopian military airstrikes hit the capital of the country’s Tigray region and killed at least three people, witnesses said Monday, returning the war abruptly to the city of Mekele after several months of peace.

The airstrikes came days after a new military offensive was launched against the Tigray forces who have been fighting Ethiopian and allied forces for nearly a year.

Mekele hasn't seen fighting since late June, when the Tigray forces retook much of the region and Ethiopian troops withdrew.

Since then, Ethiopia's federal government has called all able citizens to crush the Tigray fighters who dominated the national government for 27 years before being sidelined by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. What began as a political dispute in Africa's second-most populous country has now killed thousands of people.

The state-owned Ethiopian Press Agency, citing the air force, reported that “communication towers and equipment” were attacked and that “utmost care was made to avoid civilian casualties.”

The last time the Ethiopian military carried out an airstrike near Mekele was in June, when a market in Togoga outside the city was hit and at least 64 civilians were killed.

Soldiers for hours blocked medical teams from responding to victims.

IMAGE: AP