There was now "worrying" fighting involving a rebel group in South Kordofan state, Ethiopia's foreign ministry spokesperson Meles Alem.

According to the UN, more than 50,000 people have crossed borders into Ethiopia since the conflict began in April between the Sudan's army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Last week, the army accused SPLM-North, a powerful rebel group with ties in neighbouring South Sudan and that controls areas in the South Kordofan state, of launching attacks.

With tensions escalating around the state’s capital Kadugli, many have fled the state. Violence has also been reported in Blue Nile state bordering Ethiopia.

The UN had said the the recent violence in Kurmuk locality of the Blue Nile was gravely concerning.

Mr Meles also mentioned the clashes in West Darfur, where the conflict has inflamed already fraught ethnic tensions between Arab and African communities similar to the violence that erupted two decades ago.