Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, has acknowledged for the first time that troops from neighbouring Eritrea have been taking part in the conflict in the northern region of Tigray.

For months both countries have denied that troops crossed the border.

Addressing the Ethiopian parliament, Mr Abiy said he had spoken to Eritrean officials about allegations that soldiers from Eritrea had carried out atrocities in Tigray.

He did not admit that Eritrean soldiers had been deployed in Ethiopian towns, where rights groups allege they have committed atrocities including killing unarmed civilians.

Hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians have been displaced since the war began in November.

To many observers it has long been clear that Mr Abiy struck a deal with the Eritrean president to combine forces and oust a common enemy – the regional government in Tigray.