Debretsion said he hoped the Tigrayan withdrawal, from the regions of Afar and Amhara, would force the international community to ensure that food aid could enter Tigray. Meanwhile, state media reported on Sunday that the Ethiopian military is again in control of the town of Lalibela, famed for its rock churches. In June, the military withdrew from Tigray after reports of mass killings of civilians, gang rapes and blocking of aid supplies. In July, Tigrayan forces invaded Afar and Amhara. The Ethiopian military launched an offensive at the end of November that pushed the Tigrayan forces back hundreds of kilometres.

Source: Ethiopian News December 20, 2021 15:29 UTC