Eyewitnesses who have fled Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region, is under fierce bombardment.
CNN reports a communications blackout in the region has made reporting on claims from both sides difficult.
About half a million residents live in Mekelle.
UNICEF says roughly half of them are children.
More than 43,000 Ethiopian refugees have crossed into neighboring Sudan since fighting began on November 4th.
The number of people internally displaced inside Tigray is growing daily.
According to the UNHCR, the pre-existing refugee camps in the region only have food supplies to last three days.