The United States on Friday urged an immediate de-escalation of the conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, voicing alarm over the "massacre of civilians." "We condemn the massacre of civilians in Mai-Kadra and strongly urge immediate steps to de-escalate and end conflict throughout the Tigray region," said Tibor Nagy, the top US diplomat for Africa, referring to a town where Amnesty International reported mass killings. "It is essential that peace be restored and civilians be protected," he wrote on Twitter. sct/dw