Ethiopian gov’t says its forces have claimed control of several strategic cities.

The Ethiopian government says its forces have claimed control of several strategic cities previously held by Tigray rebels. 

According to Ethiopian state television, government troops broke through rebel defenses and recaptured several cities in the northwestern state of Amhara. 

The military gains at Afar and Amhara will be a blow to Tigray’s forces, who have threatened to advance south of the capital or east and threaten a road linking landlocked Ethiopia to the port of Djibouti. 

According to Communications Minister Legese Tulu, the military operation, currently directly led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, is recording resounding victories. 

Claims cannot be independently verified. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels have yet to respond.