NEWS AFRICA
A "full-scale humanitarian crisis" is unfolding in Ethiopia, the United Nations refugee agency says, with more than 27,000 now having fledheavy fighting to Sudan.
Babar Baloch, spokesman of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, also told a Geneva news briefing: "UNHCR is onstand-by to provide assistance in Tigray when access and security allow".
Meanwhile, the local leader of Ethiopia's Tigray region said on Tuesday that battles were still ongoing round the southern town of Alamata which federal troops said they seized the previous day.
"Yes, there is fighting around Alamata," Debretsion Gebremichael told Reuters by text in a possible indication that the Ethiopian government's push to take Tigray was not advancing as fast as it had indicated.
Redwan Hussein, spokesman of the government's task force for the Tigray crisis, could not be immediately reached for comment.
READ MORE: Ethiopia's Tigray region fires missiles into neighbouring Eritrea
Ethiopia freezes bank accounts
Ethiopia has frozen the bank accounts of 34 institutions of the TPLF which governs the rebellious northern region,state-affiliated Fana TV said.
There was no immediate confirmation from the federal government, which launched a military offensive in Tigray two weeks ago, nor reaction from the TPLF to the Fana report which cited the attorney general and named construction, trading, engineering, printing, electrical and bus companies among those affected.
‘Precision’ air strikes
Earlier in the day the government said that Ethiopia's National Defense Forces carried out "precision led and surgical air operations" outside of Tigray's capital Makelle amid a near two-week long conflict with defiant local leaders.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also said on Tuesday that a three-day surrender ultimatum issued to Tigray special forces and their allied militia was over.
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