Ethiopia hits Tigray’s capital with third airstrike : TV channel

Ethiopia launched it’s third airstrike in a week on the capital of Tigray on Wednesday, as it steps up its campaign to try and weaken forces loyal to the northern region’s ruling party.

Tigrai Television, which is controlled by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, said the strike hit the city center in Mekelle.

Video obtained and verified by Reuters shows plumes of smoke billowing from the scene.

Two witnesses and a humanitarian source in Mekelle say the strike appeared to be aimed at a major factory complex.

The Ethiopian government said it had targeted buildings where Tigrayan forces were repairing armaments.

Fighting in the nearly year-old conflict is intensifying.

Having recaptured Mekelle and much of Tigray several months ago, the TPLF pushed into the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions in July.

Last week the TPLF said the government had started an offensive in Amhara.

The military said it was inflicting heavy casualties, and that the TPLF had “opened war on all front.