Ethiopia says Tigrayan forces withdraw in defeat from Afar, Tigrayan forces say they are redeploying

Members from Ethiopia's national defense force stand in Addis Ababa during a ceremony held to support the Ethiopian military that is battling against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in the Amhara and Afar regions. (AFP)

• Tigrayan forces said they had merely shifted troops to neighboring Amhara for an offensive there
• Spokespeople for the Ethiopian military and the Prime Minister’s office were not immediately reachable for comment

ADDIS ABABA, Sept 9 : Ethiopia said on Thursday that rebellious forces from the Tigray region had been defeated in the adjacent Afar region and had withdrawn, but the Tigrayan forces said they had merely shifted troops to neighboring Amhara for an offensive there.
Foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Dina Mutfi cited “military information” when referring to what he called the defeat, at a news conference in Addis Ababa. Tigrayan spokesperson Getachew Reda spoke to Reuters by satellite phone from an undisclosed location. It was not immediately possible to verify either claim.
Spokespeople for the Ethiopian military and the Prime Minister’s office were not immediately reachable for comment.