400,000 people facing famine in war-torn Tigray: UN

A tank damaged during the fighting between Ethiopia?s National Defense Force (ENDF) and Tigray Special Force stands on the outskirts of Humera town in Ethiopia

Over 400,000 people have ‘crossed the threshold into famine’ in Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray region, a senior UN official said Friday, appealing for urgent humanitarian action to help the millions affected by the brutal eight-month long conflict. Fighting between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) was reignited last month when the rebels launched a major counter-offensive that saw them retake their regional capital of Mekele. This week Ethiopian forces destroyed two key bridges allowing desperately-needed aid into the region, prompting charges Addis Ababa was seeking to choke off humanitarian assistance. Friday saw the UN Security Council hold its first public meeting on a conflict that has left thousands of dead and plunged hundreds of thousands into hunger.