Ethiopian forces close in on Tigrayan capital amid fears for civilians

Ethiopia's military said it seized control of a town 50 kilometres from the capital of Tigray province on Friday, a day after the government said it was beginning the "final phase" of an offensive against the northern region. Federal forces have captured Wikro "and will control Mekelle in a few days", Lt Gen Hassan Ibrahim said in a statement. Government troops had also taken control of several other towns, he said. Reuters was not immediately able to reach the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) for comment, or to verify the statement. Claims by all sides in the three-week-old conflict between government and TPLF forces have been impossible to verify because phone...