18 million people behind battle lines. we really need all authorities to allow us to access to reach the vulnerable populations wherever and whenever needed. reporter: some areas haven t had supplies four months. trucks started going back into tigray last week but only with enough to feed under half a million people. we must get food and assistance to people immediately to avert any further catastrophic levels of hunger. reporter: the conflict is intensifying, while the country s leader nobel peace prize winner abiy ahmed swapped his business suit for battle fatigues. here you see him on a satellite phone leading his troops, and behind the front lines while the men wage war, the children battle starvation. it s difficult to gauge the real extent of the food crisis. for the most part, international media has not been allowed into