Ethiopian federal forces regain control of strategic town in Amhara region

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian federal forces and their regional allies have regained control of several areas in the Amhara region including the strategic town of Mersa from rebellious Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Government Communications Service (GCS) said.

This comes just days after the government announced that federal forces and their regional allies in Afar region have driven back TPLF rebels from the Afar region shifting the fight to mostly the Amhara region where the rebel group still maintains a number of villages.

In a statement, the GCS said the Federal troops have taken control of Mersa and Grana which are important towns in Amhara and whose control by the government is crucial for advance into areas inside the northern Tigray region.

“The unity of the Ethiopian security forces is moving forward by controlling Mersa and Grana,” the Government Communication Service said, adding that they have also taken control of the strategic mountainous areas North of Raya.

The government media agency also said the federal forces have recaptured several, expanding their control over the mountain chain of Gura Worke as well as the main highway leading to the Tigray capital Mekelle

It added that the battle was “going to Woldiya very soon.”

While announcing capture of ‘control’ over Wuchale district, Yurgesa, Libso, Girana, Mersa, Kile, and areas in northern Wollo, the government praised local militias for playing “a great adventure by joining with the army of the people.”