The talks were initially scheduled for early this month but did not go ahead as planned.

In a tweet, Mr Hussien said the talks with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) will now be held on 24 October and confirmed the government's participation.

He added: "We are dismayed that some are bent on pre-empting the peace talks and spreading false allegations against the defensive measures."

The TPLF has not commented on the new date but had previously welcomed peace talks with the government.

Fighting continues in the two-year long civil war with government soldiers this week seizing three towns in the northern Tigray region from the rebels.

On Monday, UN Secretary General António Guterres said the "situation in Ethiopia is spiralling out of control" and called for an urgent resumption of peace talks.