Tigrayan forces have not responded to the accusations which come after fresh fighting broke out on Wednesday for the first time in several months.

The UN and the US have urged Ethiopian troops and the Tigrayan forces to restore a humanitarian truce.

UN chief António Guterres said he was shocked by the resurgence in fighting, while the US expressed concern that renewed clashes could jeopardise progress made over the past five months.

The chair of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, also called for the "immediate cessation of hostilities" and urged the warring sides to resume talks.

The conflict, which began in November 2020 in Tigray, has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians and left millions in need of food aid.