The Ethiopian government has dismissed reports suggesting that the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have retaken Lalibela town – a UN heritage site.
Quoting witnesses, Reuters over the weekend said TPLF troops retook Lalibela and strategic Gashena areas after routing an 80,000-strong Ethiopian force.
The government in Addis Ababa on Monday claimed that joint forces of the National Defence Force, regional Special Forces and Fano volunteers have routed thousands of rebel troops in Hamusit, an area next to Gashena.
“Troops of the rebel forces have appeared in Gashena as they tried to escape to Mekelle and were not in a position to retake Gashena or Lalibela” the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation quoted government sources as saying.
According to EBC, the government forces took control of Waja town and the main road leading to Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region.
Sources say key strategic positions around the Zobel mountain chains are reportedly under Ethiopian federal troops, leading the government to believe that its latest military gains herald that Ethiopia is on the verge ending the one-year conflict.
According to the government a strong offensive led by Prime Minister Abiy on the front line boosted troop morale and turned the tide of the conflict in favour of the federal forces.
During this period the war effort to control strategic positions in the east have been successful.
The Zobel Mountain chains, Arjo,Fokissa and Boren towns have all fallen to the hands of federal troops, according to a government report.
From the Wuchale side (south of Woldia), Ambassel Mountain Chains are under the Ethiopian government forces who are also reportedly advancing on Mersa, only about 30 kilometers from the important city of Woldia.
The Ethiopian government claims that it has inflicted heavy losses on TPLF forces who are also reportedly hampered by air operations to move vehicles and heavy weaponry.
Eyewitnesses told APA that TPLF is not in a position to regroup with a view to making military gains.
“TPLF forces are looking for a way to escape which will not be easy because the road to Mekelle is under the control of Ethiopian forces” one of them said.
MG/as/APA