Ethiopia sent home soldiers of Tigrayan ethnicity from U.N. force in South Sudan: sources

JUBA (Reuters) - Ethiopia has sent home three soldiers of Tigrayan ethnicity from U.N. peacekeeping force in South Sudan, a diplomatic and security source told Reuters, weeks after conflict broke out between the federal government and northern region of Tigray.

Billene Seyoum, a spokeswoman for the prime minister's office, said that "it would be the same situation" as Somalia, where the government disarmed between 200-300 soldiers of Tigrayan ethnicity serving in an African Union peacekeeping force and a bilateral force.

The United Nations mission in South Sudan was not immediately available for comment.

(Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)