Tigray militants also seize Ethiopian Heritage town Lalibela: People | Conflict Issues

TPLF troops are patrolling the town of Thw, witnesses have said, within two weeks government forces will recapture the city.

Tigray militants have also seized the town of Lalibela in northern Ethiopia, Reuters and the AFP news agency reported, citing locals, less than two weeks after government forces and their allies captured the town of UNESCO World Heritage.

Tigrayan fighters “are in the middle of town, there is no fighting,” said one caller on Sunday afternoon.

“She returned. They are already here, ”said another, apparently coming from the east, heading for Waldia.

“The population, most people are scared. Some are fleeing. Most people, have already left because there may be retaliation. We expressed our happiness in the past when the army left. ”

Lalibela is home to 11 ancient stone-cut churches and a meeting place of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

The leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) militant group said in a statement shared with TPLF-affiliated journalists “they have started terrorist attacks” in many places including the road linking Gashena and Lalibela.

“Our troops defended first and then against a large invading army in Gashena and surrounding areas in order to achieve a glorious victory,” it said.

State spokesman Legesse Tulu did not respond to a request for comment on the reopening of the town.

TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda did not return a call.

One of the witnesses who spoke to Reuters said that special forces from the Amhara region and their fighters, all allies of the Ethiopian government, began evacuating Lalibela on Saturday night.

“The last group left this morning. We heard gunshots in the distance last night but Tigrayan troops captured Lalibela without firing a shotgun in the town,” said the witness, a hotel receptionist by telephone.

Abiy forward

The military told Al Jazeera that pro-government troops were heading for the city of Waldia – TPLF stronghold.

TPLF-affiliated troops captured the town in early August.

But on December 1, Ethiopian troops and their Amhara counterparts recaptured the town.

The incident was one of many that took place in the war against the Tigrayan forces, which in November pushed south and threatened to overthrow the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed passed away directing military operations himself, talking to civilians in military uniforms and surrounded by soldiers.

“We will continue the remaining areas … nothing can stop us. The enemy will be destroyed,” he said this week.

The riots also took many towns this month, the Prime Minister’s Office said, pushing the Tigrayan forces back 180 km.

Last week the government announced its military they also captured well-known towns Dessie and Kombolcha.

Earlier this month the government announced its powers they also captured several small towns including Shewa Robit, a town located 220 km (135 km) from the capital Addis Ababa.

At the end of November the Ethiopian state broadcaster said government troops captured the town of Chifra in the region of Afar.

A year-long conflict between the federal government and the northern Tigray region leadership has killed thousands of civilians, forced millions to flee their homes, and left more than 9 million people dependent on food.

A second witness told Reuters on Sunday that people had begun fleeing the town. “We were shocked, we did not see this coming. TPLF soldiers are now guarding the town in uniform,” the witness said.