Ethiopian Troops Recapture Historic Town of Lalibela

This is the latest victory claimed by the government since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed went to the front lines last week to lead the fight-back. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said it had made a “strategic withdrawal” from certain areas. Lalibela, famous for its rock-hewn churches, was captured by the rebels in August. It is a Unesco world heritage site in Ethiopia’s Amhara region and was a popular tourist destination before the civil war broke out in Ethiopia last year. The conflict started in the northern Tigray region, and later engulfed other parts of Ethiopia as the TPLF launched an offensive to reach Addis Ababa in the south and the border with Djibouti in the east, which is crucial for getting supplies to landlocked Ethiopia. Fears of the rebels advancing on Addis Ababa led several countries, including the US and UK, to urge their citizens to leave Ethiopia last month. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is currently visiting Ethiopia. He is expected to meet Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen, who has taken charge of the day-to-day running of government while Mr Abiy is on the battlefield.

SOURCE: BBC