THE Ethiopian army has captured three towns in the northern region of Tigray, one to the northwest and two to the south of the regional capital Mekelle, the government said on Tuesday as one senior official said the conflict was being "extinguished". The Ethiopian military and allies including troops from neighbouring Eritrea have been battling Tigray forces on and off for two years, a conflict that has killed thousands, displaced millions and left hundreds of thousands on the brink of famine. "The ENDF (Ethiopian National Defence Force) has taken control of the towns of Shire, Alamata, and Korem without fighting…