UN decries 'extreme brutality' in Ethiopia Tigray war

People read local newspapers in a downtown area of the city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The UN rights chief on Wednesday slammed the "extreme brutality" of the year-long war in Ethiopia's Tigray region, voicing alarm that a recent state of emergency would inflame the situation.

Speaking in Geneva, Michelle Bachelet insisted on the need to bring to justice perpetrators of a vast array of rights abuses, including horrific killings and the gang rape of mothers in front of their children.

"Civilians in Tigray have been subjected to brutal violence and suffering," she told reporters.

The "extreme brutality" underscores "the need to hold perpetrators accountable on all sides," she said.