Ethiopia's military yesterday accused the World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of supporting and trying to procure arms and diplomatic backing for Tigray state's dominant political party, which is fighting federal forces. 

"He himself is a member of that group and he is a criminal," army chief of staff General Birhanu Jula said in a televised statement, before calling for him to be removed. Birhanu did not offer any evidence to support his accusations.

There was no immediate WHO comment on the allegation against Tedros, who is Ethiopian of Tigrayan ethnicity.

Tedros served as Ethiopia's health minister and foreign minister from 2005-2016 in a ruling coalition led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF effectively ruled Ethiopia for decades as the most powerful part of the coalition, until Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy took office in 2018.

Abiy has since folded the other three regional parties into his own national party, but the TPLF refused to join.

Fighting is raging Ethipia since November 4 when Abiy attacked Tigray state accusing the TPLF of attacking two federal military camps in the region. His controversial campaign has seen warplanes bombing Tigray and heavy fighting, while the UN says a "full-scale humanitarian crisis" is unfolding, with 36,000 people having streamed into neighbouring Sudan, according to that country's refugee commission.