More than 50 civilians have reportedly been killed in three days of heavy fighting around Alamata in the Tigray region, the BBC reported, citing town residents and hospital sources.

Town residents, who said they could not determine who carried out the attacks, told the BBC that more than 50 people had been killed in the town and surrounding areas.

A doctor at Alamata General Hospital told the BBC that fighting in and around the town took place from Saturday to Monday and involved heavy explosives and artillery fire, some of which struck residential homes.

According to the BBC, the attacks occurred in areas away from the main road. They said heavy weapons struck near the Catholic mission, around the bridge at the entrance to Alamata from Waja, and near a mosque. Those reportedly killed in the crossfire included children as young as three days old, mothers and cattle herders. According to the sources, the attacks occurred in areas away from the main road. Those killed in the crossfire included children as young as three days old, mothers and cattle herders, it was said.

Government troops have taken control of Alamata and are reportedly advancing north toward Mekelle.

Forces from the Tigray region and their allies have reportedly mounted attacks in the neighbouring Afar region, capturing several areas. The fighters are reportedly seeking to advance toward the main road linking the capital Addis Ababa with Djibouti, potentially disrupting the country’s access to the key trade route. The armed groups that took control of the town of Erebti, near the border with Tigray, reportedly attempted to advance toward Afdera but encountered strong resistance from the Ethiopian federal army and Afar regional forces allied with the government.