Ethiopia’s rival Tigray forces claim to take strategic city

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Tigray forces say they have taken control of a key city on the route to Ethiopia’s capital, while Ethiopia’s government denies it and the United States is urging the Tigray fighters to halt their advances as the yearlong war intensifies. The Tigray forces spokesman tells The Associated Press the fighters took Dessie on Saturday afternoon. He also asserts they already have “commanding positions” on the outskirts of the nearby city of Kombolcha and have its airport in their sights. Ethiopian government spokesman Legesse Tulu rejects the Dessie claim as “fabricated propaganda.” Phone calls to Dessie don’t go through. That complicated efforts to verify accounts.