The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Ethiopia to allow an international investigation into alleged atrocities in the northern region of Tigray.

In a phone call with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Mr Blinken called for an immediate end to hostilities and the withdrawal of outside forces from Tigray, including Eritrean troops and Amhara regional security forces.

Ethiopia last week criticised a US statement on the war, saying it was an internal matter.

Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in the conflict between Tigray’ regional forces and federal troops and their allies.