Ethiopian army regains control of 7 more towns as TPLF retreats in 2 major fronts

JUBA – Ethiopian government has announced that federal forces fighting Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in the north of the country have taken control of seven more areas after the insurgent group continued its retreats in two major fronts.

Last week, the Ethiopian Government Communication Service announced recapture of two major cities, Dessie and Kombolcha, which have been under rebel control since two months ago.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed returned to his office in Addis Ababa saying he has completed the first phase of the operation which he started by going to command forces by himself.

In a statement last evening, the office of the prime minister said government forces have now recaptured seven new areas in two front after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front retreated.

“The terrorist group TPLF has been uprooted in and cleared out of Hayk, Bistima, Basomile and Wuchalie towns in Dessie Front,” the statement by the office of the prime minister reads in part.

In Tenta Front, the statement said, “Alem Amba, Mekdella, Gashmeda towns also liberated and cleared of TPLF.”

‘We have to turn back’

In a statement, TPLF leader  Debretsion said the decision by his leadership to retreat was necessary due to unforeseen circumstances has Ethiopian federal forces have deployed heavily along the areas recently occupied by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

“We evaluated the overall situation, both ours as well as that of the enemy, and arrived at the decision on our own. We have to turn back; we shouldn’t continue in the present [course]; we have to carry out additional tasks, additional adjustments’ – it was after we identified this that we arrived at the decision,” he said in the statement seen by Sudans Post.

“It was a tough decision but one which had to be made. We have to understand that it was a correct decision. [The decision] wasn’t made because of diplomatic pressure or through discussions,” he added.

The rebel leader further pointed out that “We don’t make discussions which the people of Tigray are not aware of or diplomatic activities which the people of Tigray have not accepted… This is a time of fierce struggle.”