Ethiopian forces begin offensive on Tigray with heavy shelling

Ethiopian government forces on Saturday began heavy shelling in Tigray in a bid to capture regional capital Mekelle as rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front(TLF)forces dug in for a fight.

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Reports said large explosions were heard in the north of the city in the Hamidai area. The Ethiopian PM's office has asserted that its forces will not "bombard" civilian areas.

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"The safety of Ethiopians in Mekelle and Tigray region continues as a priority for the federal government," the government spokesman said. The Abiy government had given the TPLF forces an ultimatum until last Sunday to lay down arms or face an assault on Mekelle.

The Ethiopian army has been fighting the TLP in Tigray which borders Eritrea and Sudan since November 4.

PM Abiy has accused the rebel forces of attacking troops at a base in Tigray even as the TLP said it was a pre-emptive strike by the federal troops.

The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis with at least 43,000 refugees fleeing to Sudan. The International Crisis Group has said the conflict has left thousands dead "including many civilians as well as security forces".

Abiy who won Nobel Peace Prize last year had said earlier in the week that a "third and final phase" in his campaign against leaders of TPLF had begun even as leaders worldwide including the Pope expressed concern over the intensifying fighting in in the region.

However, PM Abiy Ahmed has refused to negotiate with the TPLF and dismissed calls for dialogue as "interference" in Ethiopia's internal affairs.