Ethiopia: federal forces take control of town near Eritrea border
Ethiopia's federal army retook control of the border town of Zalambessa, where Eritrean troops had been positioned. The army launched a counter-offensive against Tigrayan rebels in the north of the country a week ago, retaking several towns from the TPLF and pushing back Eritrean troops that had entered Ethiopian territory. According to the conflict-analysis organisation Acled, the Eritrean troops stationed there since last Friday had already withdrawn, so no fighting took place.
Why it matters: The advance bears on the conflict theme, since it leaves open whether the Ethiopian army halts at the border in a defensive position or crosses into Eritrea, given Addis Ababa's stated wish for Red Sea access.