A senior Ethiopian diplomat has resigned in protest over alleged atrocities being committed in the ongoing conflict in the northern Tigray region.

"I resign from my post in protest of the genocidal war in Tigray, and in protest of all the repression and destruction the government is inflicting on the rest of Ethiopia," said Berhane Kidanemariam, the deputy chief of mission at the Ethiopian embassy in Washington.

He criticised Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for leading the country "down a dark path toward destruction and disintegration", adding that the government was lying "while the whole world bears witness".

Thousands of people are reported to have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes.

Mr Berhane said the involvement of Eritrean troops and forces from neighbouring Amhara region "to commit atrocities and wanton destruction of Tigray" had increased hatred between different communities in the country.

Both the Eritrean and Ethiopian governments deny that Eritrean forces are involved in the Tigray conflict.

The conflict escalated in early November, when Mr Abiy ordered a military offensive against TPLF, the regional administration in Tigray.

Mr Abiy said the offensive was in response to an attack on a military base housing government troops in Tigray. The TPLF said it had captured the bases as a pre-emptive strike as it feared federal intervention in Tigray.