Lion Tsigab
BBC Tigrinya

Image source, AFP

In the two months since the US and the UN suspended food aid to Ethiopia's war-ravaged Tigray region, at least 728 people have died, according to the regional government.

Most of those who died were children, pregnant mothers, and people with underlying health conditions, says Gebrehiwot Gebregziaher of Tigray’s Disaster Risk Management Commission.

He says that although USAid and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) officially froze aid in April - after discovering shipments were being stolen and re-sold - in reality many Tigrayans had been without aid for much longer.

People feel they are "dying of famine in the dark even though it is declared to the world [that] peace is flourished," said Dr Gebrehiwot, referring to a peace deal made in Pretoria in November last year between Ethiopia's government and TPLF rebels after two years of civil war.

Lion Tsigab
BBC Tigrinya

Image source, LEUL KINFU/UNICEF

In the month since the US and the UN suspended food aid to Ethiopia's war-ravaged Tigray region, doctors at the biggest hospital there say seven malnourished children have died.

That marked increase in May makes up more than half of the 13 total deaths since the start of year, staff at the Ayder Referral Hospital in Mekelle told the BBC.

What's more, medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says nearly 70% of health facilities in Tigray have been deliberately vandalised and had equipment looted to make them "non-functional".

At present, 32 children are in very critical condition and receiving treatment in an intensive care unit at the Ayder Referral Hospital.

"Children in the ward are most vulnerable and couldn’t recover with food assistance outside of the hospital,” medic Simret Nigusse told the BBC's Tigrinya service, adding that international humanitarian agencies were wrong to halt operations in Tigray.

USAid and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) froze aid to Tigray after discovering that food shipments were being diverted and sold at local markets.

This week both went a step further, announcing they would be suspending food to the whole of Ethiopia, with some exceptions for only the most vulnerable.

Tigray suffered from dire shortages of food, fuel, cash and medicines during a brutal two-year conflict between forces loyal to Ethiopia's government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

The conflict came to an end last November when the two sides signed a peace deal in South Africa. Aid then began trickling in, though some areas still remain inaccessible.

Lion Tsigab
BBC Tigrinya

The interim leader of Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray, Getachew Reda, has taken the unprecedented move of sacking four senior officials.

They are also key members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the party which agreed to a peace pact with government last November after a brutal two-year civil war.

He gave no reason for firing his deputy Alem Gebrewahid, who is also the TPLF’s chairperson, Amanuel Assefa, the chief cabinet secretary, Liya Kassa, the South Eastern Zone administrator and Teklay Gebremedhin, who headed the North Western Zone.

But the move has caused shockwaves in the region, especially within the TPLF.

It also comes a week after the region marked the one-year anniversary of the peace deal that established the interim administration, which has faced criticism for not doing more to help those affected by the war.

Millions of people are still living in displacement centres in a dire situation and with there is anger that armed groups from the Amhara region and Eritrean troops are still in Tigray.

Last month, Mr Getachew complained that zonal administrators were working to undermine his administration.

The TPLF, which has dominated the region for nearly half a century, has not yet responded to the sackings.

Lion Tsigab
BBC Tigrinya

Image source, Aron Weldegebreal

Residents of a town in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region are still searching for missing bodies after heavy rain and flooding killed at least 10 people last week.

Residents of Selekleka town, in north-west Tigray, say the search is continuing amid fears that the death toll could rise.

Teame Woldegebriel, a resident of the town, told the BBC that the 10 bodies recovered had already been buried.

He said the town had been swamped and “many people” swept away in the 26 June incident.

“[The flood] destroyed shops at the market site. Everyone there was also swept away by the floods. There are others whose bodies haven’t been found,’’ Mr Teame said.

Other residents told the BBC that the heavy floods had destroyed homes, markets and crops.

Guesh Aregay said he was the only one to have survived out of the dozens of people who were at the Selekleka market during the flooding incident.

“We were 25 people together. I’m the only survivor, the rest were swept away by the flood. Two mothers who were here in the market were swept away with their children.

He said though he had survived, he lost 80,000 birr ($1,530; £1,280).

“Now I don’t have anything, I’m just on an empty stomach,” he said.

Tadelech Gela told the BBC that her home was swamped while she was in and had lost all her belongings. She said was rescued by nearby forces but now had nothing to eat.

The residents say many of them had been displaced from their homes but there was no-one who had come to offer help.

Tigray authorities have not responded to the BBC’s queries on the matter.

Plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda were passed by Parliament, but still face legal challenge.

For the latest updates, go to bbc.com/africalive

Across the divide, there is relief that Liberia's leader and ex-football star conceded to his rival.

Mamelodi Sundowns win the Women's African Champions League for a second time by beating Sporting Club Casablanca.

Egypt keep up their perfect start in qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup but Nigeria drop points once again.

Image source, Getty Images

The Nigerian government has announced that more than 4,000 prisoners have been released to ease overcrowding in jails.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said those freed were inmates who had been in custody for not paying fines.

He said it was part of an initiative by President Bola Tinubu which included introducing more non-custodial sentences.

The United Nations has said that Nigeria's prisons are currently operating at more than twice their total capacity.

Suspects often have to wait years in detention before being tried.

More on Nigeria's jails:

• Former inmates reveal horrific experiences
• Nigeria's 100-year-old death-row inmate seeking pardon

Richard Hamilton
BBC World Service newsroom

Image source, AFP

At least 80,000 households across Kenya have been affected by heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides over the last week, the deputy president has said.

The emergency services are using helicopters to deliver aid and rescue marooned families, Rigathi Gachagua’s statement says.

On Saturday, Kenya Railways said flooding and landslides along the train track between the capital, Nairobi, and the port of Mombasa had forced the operator to close its cargo services.

East Africa has experienced intense rains linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon, which have killed dozens of people, including at least 46 in Kenya.

Floods have also caused deaths and displacement in Somalia and Ethiopia.

The rainfall has been described by the UN as a once-in-a-century event.

Richard Hamilton
BBC World Service newsroom

Image source, AFP

The Malian army says it has discovered a mass grave in the north-eastern town of Kidal, days after recapturing it from ethnic Tuareg separatists.

In a statement the army said the discovery was made on Thursday during operations to secure the town.

It gave no further details but said investigations were under way to bring those responsible to justice.

The military retook Kidal on Tuesday after forces from the UN Mission in Mali (Minusma) left their camp there as part of an agreement to withdraw from the country by the end of the year.

More on the UN withdrawal from Mali:

• Translators for German UN troops in Mali fear Taliban-style fate
• Boost for Wagner as Mali shuns UN troops, but at what cost?

Sadio Mane and Pape Matar Sarr score in Senegal's win over South Sudan as South Africa and Tanzania also secure opening 2026 World Cup qualifying victories.

The European Convention on Human Rights is tied to the 1998 agreement, as BBC News NI explains.

Those living through the war, now in its seventh month, tell the BBC conditions are worse than ever.

Opposition candidate Joseph Boakai is set to be Liberia's next president, but what do we know about him?

President George Weah calls Joseph Boakai after his rival gained an unassailable lead in the run-off vote.

Clemence Felix Mtenga was an agriculture intern in Israel at the time of the Hamas attack.

Inaki Williams earns Ghana a late victory in World Cup qualifying as Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana suffers an injury scare and Ivory Coast hit nine past Seychelles.

John Obi Mikel says African footballers are subject to an extra "tax" as they often have to pay to support extended family back home.