ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia’s military this week regained control of territory previously claimed by Tigrayan rebels, a potential validation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s decision to join soldiers in conflict-hit areas.
Yet how the government scored its wins and what they mean for an eventual outcome in the year-old war remain points of fierce debate as fighting enters a new, uncertain phase.
Just a month ago, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front rebel group appeared to be on the offensive, claiming to have captured Dessie and Kombolcha, towns on a key highway headed toward the capital Addis Ababa.
They reportedly reached as far as Shewa Robit, around 220 kilometers (135 miles) northeast of Addis Ababa by road.
But after Abiy announced last week he would lead operations in the field, the government announced a string of victories and the rebels acknowledged making adjustments to their strategy.
State media has responded with triumphalist wall-to-wall coverage.
“The…