ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The Ethiopian military has seized control of the town of Wikro, 50 km (30 miles) north of the Tigray region’s capital Mekele, state-affiliated Fana broaDcaster reported on Friday, after the prime minister announced the military was beginning the “final phase” of its offensive. “The Ethiopian National Defense took control of strategic locations to capture Mekele city,” Fana reported. Reuters was not immediately able to reach the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) for comment, or to verify the report. Claims by all sides have been impossible to verify because phone and internet connections to the region are down and access to the area is tightly controlled. Reporting by Addis Ababa newsroom; Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by Frances Kerry