Ethiopian government says it recaptured key towns from Tigrayan rebels

Tigrayan forces said last week they were making adjustments on the battlefield

Members of the Ethiopian National Defence Force pass through Shewa Robit, Ethiopia. Photo: AFP

Ethiopian forces recaptured the towns of Dessie and Kombolcha, the government said on Monday evening.

Forces aligned with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) took control of the towns, in the Amhara region, about a month ago.

"The historic Dessie city and the trade and industry corridor city, Kombolcha, have been freed by the joint gallant security forces," the government communications service said on Twitter.

TPLF representative Getachew Reda did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Federal forces and their regional allies last week recaptured the town of Lalibela, a UN World Heritage Site, from Tigrayan forces.

All of the gains were reported after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed left Addis Ababa to direct fighting from the front lines.

Tigrayan forces said last week that they were making adjustments on the battlefield, without providing details about why or how.

The year-long war between the federal government and the leadership of the northern region of Tigray has killed thousands of civilians, forced millions to flee their homes, and made more than nine million people dependent on food aid.