UN team shot at by Ethiopian military in Tigray

Ethiopia's government says its security forces shot at and detained United Nations staffers as they tried to reach part of the embattled Tigray region.

Senior official Redwan Hussein told reporters that the UN staffers were to blame because they "broke" two checkpoints to go to areas where "they were not supposed to go."

He said the staffers have since been released.

The shooting occurred amid soaring frustration among humanitarian organisations as aid is still not freely reaching the Tigray region more than a week after the UN and Ethiopia's government signed a deal for access.

Ethiopia's government is making it clear it intends to manage the process, but the UN has openly sought unfettered and neutral access.

Ethiopia last month declared victory in the conflict in the Tigray region against the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

The government asserts that the fighting has stopped, but the TPLF has said fighting continues.