ADDIS ABABA, 03 Septermber 2021, (TON): The lives of millions of Ethiopians in the north of the country are under threat as aid supplies are not reaching the conflict-hit area, the UN has said.

In a stark warning, it said that there was in effect an aid blockade on the Tigray region.

A spokesperson for the government has denied that supplies are being halted.

Ten months of fighting between the federal army and its allies and Tigray rebel forces has left many in desperate need of assistance.

Grant Leaity, the UN's acting humanitarian coordinator for Ethiopia, said "the lives of millions of civilians depend on our capacity to reach them with food, nutrition supplies, medicine and other critical assistance."

The UN estimates that 5.2 million people need urgent assistance if "the world's worst famine situation in decades" is to be averted.

According to Mr Leaity “although aid can now move more easily than before within Tigray itself, there is a problem getting aid trucks into the region.”

The only viable land route at the moment is through the neighbouring Afar region, but he says that logistical and bureaucratic hold-ups have led to long delays.

Aid workers say that 100 trucks carrying provisions need to get into Tigray every day but not a single one has got through since 22 August.