New air strikes pummel Ethiopia's Tigray

Ethiopia's government says it has for the fourth day this week carried out air strikes in the capital of the country's Tigray region.

Government spokesman Legesse Tulu said Friday's strikes targeted a former military training centre near Mekele that is now serving as a "battle network hub" for the rival Tigrayan forces.

Residents in Mekele confirmed the strikes. One said they occurred near Mekele University. There was no immediate information of any casualties.

Spokesmen for the Tigray forces have denied sites targeted earlier this week were used in relation to the fighting.

Health workers and other residents have said at least three children have been killed and more than a dozen people injured.

Thousands of people have been killed since November, when a political falling-out between the Tigray forces, who long dominated the national government, and the current administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed erupted in fighting.

Tigray's six million people are now under a government blockade, while rebel forces have in recent months taken the fighting into the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions.

The United Nations says more than two million people are now displaced.

On Thursday, Ethiopia's government claimed to have carried out a successful strike against another military base used by the Tigray forces near Mekele, but Tigray forces spokesman Getachew Reda said air defences prevented the plane hitting targets in the city.

An air strike on Wednesday hit an industrial compound the government said was used by the Tigray forces to repair weapons. A Tigray spokesman denied the site had military significance and said it was used to produce cars and tractors.

Two other air strikes hit the city on Monday.

Tigray remains under a communications blackout, making it difficult to verify claims.

The strikes came amid reports of renewed heavy fighting in Amhara, despite repeated international calls for a ceasefire in the year-long conflict.