12 high-ranking TPLF military commanders killed by Ethiopian federal forces

ADDIS ABABA – At least twelve senior military commanders belonging to Ethiopia’s Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have been killed during fighting over the past week, the Ethiopian government said, as federal forces and their regional allies continue to push back against TPLF whose advance of Addis Ababa last month sparked fears of disintegration of the East African Country.

This news comes days after the government announced that it had regained control of several towns, such as Dessie and Kombolcha, from the TPLF that has held the towns for almost two months.

The TPLF has admitted the government takeover of those towns, but then said it was making tactical territorial adjustments to re-energize.

Speaking to journalists in Addis Ababa on Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s spokeswoman, Billene Seyoum, said there have been remarkable gains by the federal army and its regional allies against the TPLF whose defeat, she said, is now inevitable and only a matter of time.

“As we have seen over the past two weeks, there have been remarkable gains made that far by the defense forces and the regional forces. These two forces are being let at the forefront by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed,” Seyoum told reporters during a presser at Abiy’s office.

“Yesterday as we all note, the strategic towns of Dessie and Kombolcha, among many other towns, have been reclaimed by the national forces, in addition to many strategic locations that have been taken over the national defense forces over the past two weeks,” she added.

Seyoum said the up trends of government victories leading to recapture of several towns held by TPLF since October, serve huge blows to the insurgent group which she said now has its forces fleeing in disarray towards the Tigray region.

“Yesterday’s defeat is a strong blow to the terrorist group that is currently in disarray [and] It has to be noted that about a week and half ago, up to 12 of its senior ranking military personnel were taken out, which has contributed to this grave defeat on the battlefront,” she said.

“The northern command continue to apprehend TPLF fighters in great numbers with many also heeding to the call that has been extended earlier this week to surrender and therefore heeding to the call and surrendering to the defense forces,” she added.