World heritage site Lalibela back in rebel hands

Rebels from Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region have retaken the historic town of Lalibela, witnesses have said.

There was reportedly no exchange of fire as the town, a UN World Heritage site, swapped hands.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said in a statement quoted by the AFP news agency that it had launched “widespread counter-offensives”, including in a town called Gashena, near Lalibela.

TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda tweeted: “Our forces are doing very, very, very good!”