ADDIS ABABA, Reuters – Rebel Tigrayan troops claimed on Saturday that they had seized Dessie in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region where tens and thousands of ethnic Amharas sought refuge from an escalating in fighting.

They pushed the Ethiopian government troops from Dessie, and they were heading towards Kombolcha. Getachew Reda (spokesperson for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front) told Reuters via satellite phone that the fighters had reached Kombolcha from an undisclosed place.

According to him, Tigrayan troops had taken many Ethiopian soldiers.

Legesse Tulu (the Ethiopian government spokesperson) did not respond immediately to inquiries for comment. Reuters couldn’t independently confirm that the TPLF had reported on developments.

Dessie school director claimed that he had seen Ethiopian soldiers withdrawing from Dessie towards Kombolcha Saturday morning and that the power was off in Dessie ever since Friday.

Dessie was also cited by another Dessie resident as saying that Dessie had lost its power and that the federal Army had moved on. Both claimed that they’d heard Tigrayan militants had been in Dessie but not actually seen them. The two residents spoke anonymously.

Dessie’s capture would represent a major strategic victory for Tigrayan fighters, who oppose the central government forces trying to remove them from the Amhara.

This large city is located 385km (240 miles), from Addis Ababa. It is also the farthest South Amhara the TPLF reached since July when it pushed into the region.

Almost a year ago war broke out between federal troops, TPLF and the TPLF. More than 2,000,000 people fled the country after thousands were killed.

Initially, Tigrayan troops were held back but in July they recaptured the majority of the region and moved on to the neighboring Amhara-Afar regions.

The Tigrayan military claimed that the military launched an offensive in mid-October to force them from Amhara. Although the military stated that heavy fighting was taking place, they accused Tigrayan troops of initiating it.