President Joe Biden has asked a US senator to visit Ethiopia to convey "grave concerns" over human rights abuses in the Tigray region, the White House said Thursday. Democratic Senator Christopher Coons will meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Biden National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said. Coons "will convey President Biden's grave concerns about the humanitarian crisis and human rights abuses in the Tigray region and the risk of broader instability in the Horn of Africa," Sullivan said. "He will also consult with the African Union on how to advance the region's shared interests in peace and prosperity." The Biden administration has strongly condemned Ethiopia's military offensive in the restive region. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the operation as "ethnic cleansing" and demanded an independent investigation. Abiy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for his reconciliation efforts, launched a military campaign in November after blaming the region's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, for attacks on army camps. sms/bgs