Ethiopian government intensifies attacks in Tigray

Ten people, including three children, died in an airstrike on Thursday in a restive region of Ethiopia, a regional spokesman said. Nahusenay Belay claimed the strike hit a civilian area in Mekele, the capital city of Tigray, where regional leadership has battled federal forces for nearly a year. Government spokesman Legesse Tulu denied the charges, telling the Associated Press the federal strike targeted a complex that regional forces use to make weapons.

What caused the fighting? The unilateral cease-fire declared in June broke down in October after Ethiopian federal forces relaunched an offensive in Tigray. The government claims it has limited its renewed attacks over the past several weeks to military targets, but the regional fighters say that isn’t true. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has also launched a ground offensive in the neighboring Amhara region.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s report in World Tour about the humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing conflict.