On Wednesday, the Ethiopian government announced that its armed forces have retaken the UNESCO registered town of Lalibella from Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels.
About 880 kilometers north of Addis Ababa, the town of Lalibella was just one of the major territorial gains the army liberated from TPLF forces. The town is known for its UNESCO-registered monolithic churches and is strategically important due to its international airport.
Several major towns and strategic areas in the Amhara and Afar regional states have been seized from TPLF forces in the past week, after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took to the frontline to lead the Ethiopian army in fighting.
After the rebel force attacked federal army bases stationed in Tigray in November 2020, the Ethiopian National Defense Forces have been fighting the TPLF.
Due to the fighting that entered its 13th month, more than three million people were forced from their homes and nearly 10 million need emergency assistance.
