EU commissioner meets Tigray refugees in Sudan

A top European Union official on Thursday called for an end to the conflict in Ethiopia, as Ethiopian government troops reportedly blocked refugees fleeing the embattled Tigray region from entering Sudan.

Janez Lenarčič, European Union commissioner for crisis management, spoke out during a visit to the Umm Rakouba camp in Sudan which is sheltering thousands of refugees who have already escaped the fighting.

"There will be no military solution to this issue, which is primarily a political one," he said. "I call upon the Ethiopian authorities and all others involved to stop (the) violence."

Lenarčič called for aid agencies to be allowed to do their work unhindered, and for the refugees to be able to return to their homes and families as soon as possible.

The reports of refugees being blocked from fleeing Tigray came from Sudanese forces, who said a group of people tried to cross over from Ethiopia on Thursday morning but were stopped.

The border was still closed on Thursday evening, they said.

Tensions have been rising at the border in recent days as the flow of Ethiopians crossing over has slowed.

People have continued to try to escape Tigray several days after Ethiopia's prime minister Abiy Ahmed declared victory in the conflict.