Ethiopia expels ‘meddling’ UN staff as famine deepens in Tigray without aid

An aid worker distributes lentils in Mek’ele, the capital of Tigray. Photograph: Jemal Countess/Getty

The Ethiopian government has told seven senior UN officials to leave the country, accusing them of “meddling in internal affairs”.

A statement from the foreign ministry said the officials – who include staff from the UN humanitarian agency, the UN human rights office and the children’s agency, Unicef – must leave Ethiopia within 72 hours.