WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the world's highest-profile Tigrayan, on Thursday denied accusations by Ethiopia's army chief that he was lobbying for and seeking to arm leaders in the conflict-torn dissident region.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed unleashed a military campaign in the northern region on November 4 with the declared aim of unseating its ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which he accuses of defying his government and seeking to destabilise it.

Army chief Berhanu Jula told a press conference that Tedros, who served as health minister under TPLF leader Meles Zenawi, was "a part of that team", referring to the party.

"He has worked in neighbouring countries to condemn the war. He has worked for them to get weapons," said Berhanu, without offering evidence to support the claims.

He added that Tedros had "left no stone unturned" to help the TPLF.

Redwan Hussein, spokesman for an Ethiopian crisis committee handling the conflict, admitted "the government is not happy" with Tedros.

"The government is aware that he has been hustling and bustling, calling leaders and... institutions and asking them to... compel the government to sit and negotiate," he told a press conference.

Tedros said that he saw the destructive nature of war as a child, and has "used that first-hand experience to always work for peace".

"There have been reports suggesting I am taking sides in this situation. This is not true," Tedros, 55, wrote on Twitter.

"I want to say that I am on only one side and that is the side of peace."

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gave his support to the WHO chief.

"We have all seen the work that he has been doing leading WHO," he said, calling Tedros "an exemplary international civil servant".

Tedros was appointed as the first African head of the WHO in 2017 and has become a household name as he grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic. He has been ranked as one of Time magazine's most influential people.

Abiy's government insists its target is the "reactionary and rogue" members of the TPLF and not average civilians in Tigray.

But observers have voiced concern about Tigrayans losing their jobs or being arrested for their ethnicity.

- 'Closing in on Mekele' -

The TPLF led the overthrow of Mengistu Hailemariam, head of Ethiopia's military Derg regime, in 1991 and dominated politics for three decades until the arrival of Abiy who was appointed in 2018.

The party has complained about being sidelined under Abiy, and scapegoated for the country's woes. The bitter feud with the central government this year led the TPLF to hold their own elections in defiance of a postponement due to the pandemic.

On November 4, Abiy said the TPLF had attacked two federal military camps in the region, crossing a "red line".

His controversial campaign has seen warplanes bombing Tigray and heavy fighting, while Amnesty International has documented a gruesome massacre.

A communications blackout in Tigray has made claims difficult to verify, but the overall death toll is believed to be in the hundreds.

Abiy this week insisted the military operation was in its final phase.

Redwan said that "our defence forces are moving forward and closing in on Mekele," the regional capital.

He added that the northern town of Shire, where heavy fighting has been reported in recent days, was already in government hands.

A senior Tigrayan official, Wondimu Asamnew, said that Tigrayan forces "have adopted a defensive posture on all fronts".

A statement from Tigray president Debretsion Gebremichael on Thursday said the army had "called upon assistance from an outside force, with drones starting to be used in the battle."

- Humanitarian crisis -

Meanwhile the UN says a "full-scale humanitarian crisis" is unfolding, with 36,000 people having streamed into neighbouring Sudan, according to that country's refugee commission.

Redwan said that the government was planning to "convince and bring back our compatriots from Sudan and preparations are underway here."

Since the start of fighting, hundreds of people have been arrested for allegedly conspiring with the TPLF, while 34 businesses had their bank accounts suspended for alleged links to the TPLF.

The federal police late Wednesday announced arrest warrants for 76 army officers, some retired, accused of conspiring with the TPLF and "committing treason".

"We continue to receive credible reports of job suspensions of Tigrayan residents elsewhere in the country as fighting escalates in Tigray," Laetitia Bader of Human Rights Watch told AFP last week.

"Given the incredibly tense and volatile context in the country, Ethiopian authorities should push back against language and measures that fuel intolerance and risk alienating Tigrayans from all walks of life."

US says Ethiopia rivals not interested in mediation
Washington (AFP) Nov 19, 2020 - The United States said Thursday it saw no interest from Ethiopia and leaders of the Tigray region in mediation as violence raged into its third week.

US officials said they had urged de-escalation from both Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) but saw little prospect for negotiations, with both sides claiming victories on the ground.

"At this point neither party, from everything we hear, is interested in mediation," Tibor Nagy, the top US diplomat for Africa, told reporters.

"Our goal is a quick end to the conflict, restoration of peace, protection of civilians.

"At a point where mediation will become useful -- i.e., that the two parties indicate an interest in mediation -- you bet that the United States would be there in an instant."

Mike Raynor, the US ambassador in Addis Ababa, said he has spoken both to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Tigrayan leader Debretsion Gebremichael.

Nagy said the United States has also been in touch with neighboring Eritrea, which has strained relations with Washington, and voiced appreciation that the authoritarian state showed restraint after being hit by suspected TPLF missiles.

The US reiterated its support for Abiy, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who launched the military campaign in response to what he called an attack on Ethiopian forces by the long-powerful TPLF.

"It seems like this has brought the Ethiopian nation together, at least for the time being, in support of the prime minister, because this has really stoked Ethiopian nationalism," Nagy said.

"Hopefully those positive forces will remain."

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African leaders mount effort to mediate Ethiopia conflict
Addis Ababa (AFP) Nov 16, 2020
African leaders tried Monday to kickstart talks in Ethiopia's escalating internal conflict, two days after rocket strikes on Eritrea's capital highlighted the risk that the fighting could spread. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni held talks with Ethiopia's deputy prime minister Demeke Mekonnen, while former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo headed to Addis Ababa to make his bid for dialogue. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced November 4 he had ordered military operations in Tigray ... read more