An Ethiopian spokesman on Tuesday said that the country’s forces fired on a UN team, claiming they ignored instructions and drove through government checkpoints in the northern region of Tigray.

“Some of the UN staff were actually detained and some were shot at,” said Redwan Hussein.

“They broke two checkpoints to drive to areas where they were not supposed to go, and that they were told not to go. When they were about to break the third one, they were shot at and detained,” Hussein added.

The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region is “increasingly critical”, the UN refugee agency had said last week.

Ethiopian Prime Ministry Ahmed Abi had ordered troops into Tigray on November 4 following alleged attacks by Tigray People’s Liberation Front forces on federal military camps in the northern region.

Abiy, the winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, declared victory in Tigray on November 28, but later said efforts were ongoing to restore order, amid continued fighting and lawlessness that is hampering relief efforts.