AU invites Ethiopia's warring rivals to peace talks

The African Union (AU) has invited Ethiopia's government and Tigray forces to peace talks aimed at ending a two-year civil war in the country.

The talks are planned for this weekend in South Africa, the Reuters news agency quotes diplomatic sources as saying.

Ethiopia's national security adviser to the prime minister says the government has accepted the invitation.

"The GoE [government] has accepted this invitation which is in line with our principled position regarding the peaceful resolution of the conflict and the need to have talks without preconditions," he tweeted.

Fresh fighting resumed in the northern Tigray region in August, breaking a five-month humanitarian truce.

The truce was agreed to allow aid to enter the region of Tigray - where thousands have died in a brutal civil war and millions need basic supplies.

Both sides blamed each other for the resurgence in fighting.