Eritrean forces have left the ancient city of axum in Tigray but remain in two more cities in The war-ravaged Ethiopian region, locals said on Sunday, while the US hailed the withdrawal it viewed as key to a historic peace agreement.
The Eritrean army moved across the border into Tigray to support federal government forces against the region’s dissident authorities in conflict that broke out in November 2020 and since then it has killed untold numbers of civilians and set off A desperate humanitarian crisis.
peace agreement between government of It was signed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the People’s Liberation Front of Tigray in The capital of South Africa is Pretoria in November last year Silence the guns in the north of Africa second The most populous country.
But Eritrea, whose forces have been accused by the United States and rights groups of Some of worst atrocities in Conflict – including massacre of hundreds of civilians in Axum – it was not a file party to agree.
Witnesses told AFP on Sunday that the Eritrean forces no longer exist in holy citya recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site for Carved towering obelisks.
I don’t see any Eritrea soldiers at the moment in the city”,” one said a resident. “that they left … carry dozens of Artillery pieces, anti-aircraft guns and tanks.
Big moves of Troops and her armor also seen in the last days in Tigrayan cities of The enemy and the shire that lies on Same east-west road as Aksum.
Three residents of Shire said they saw large caravans of soldiers start leaving town on Friday in Buses and trucks, some of which carry banners “Game Over” announcement.
But local residents said some forces were still present on Sunday.
I saw Eritrea soldiers patrols in town together with Individuals of Ethiopian National Defense Forces one Shire resident.
He added, “Eritrean forces are still present in In great numbers, though I saw Eritrean troops stationed in other parts of the city Left in earlier days,” added local woman in enemy.
‘Important progress”
United States and others in The West sought to pressure Eritrea to withdraw its forces, and Washington imposed sanctions targeting its armed forces as well as President Isaias Afwerki’s politician. party.
United States Minister of The state spoke Anthony Blinken on Saturday of ‘their constant withdrawal’ in Telephone call with My Father , who won Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 in bit for his affinity with Eritrea.
Blinken called the withdrawal “important progress” in Peace Agreement.
The minister welcomed this developmentindicating that it was key to secure a sustainable peace in Northern Ethiopia, he urged access for international State Department spokesman Ned Price told Human Rights Watch: in Permit.
East African Regional Assembly IGAD, one of Peace process mediators ‘welcome every action that is taken to ensure Smooth implementation of agreement that will lead to a lasting and sustainable peace in Ethiopia,” said its spokesperson, Nur Mahmoud Sheikh in Message to Agence France-Presse.
With access To the restricted Tigray, it is impossible to independently verify the situation on Earth.
enemies
Under the Pretoria Agreement, the TPLF agreed to disarm and re-establish power of federal government in return for Recovery of access to Tigray, which has been cut to a great extent off from outside world During the war and remains in awesome need of Food, medicine and fuel.
Subsequent deal sealed in Nairobi called for disarm to take place for along way with pulling out of Foreign and non-NDF forces, but no specific mention was made of eritrea, one of The world’s most closed-off countries whose regime considers the TPLF inviolableenemy.
War broke out out When Abiy accused the TPLF, which used to dominate government in Ethiopia for Three decades until his riseand reign of Attacking the federation military equipment in Tigray.
Dad unleashed a major offensive against TPLF, which in one Goal in Late 2021 seemed about to progress on the capital Addis Ababa before withdrawing to Tigray, one of Several major shifts on the battlefield.
Addis Ababa and Asmara denied this for The most famous is any Eritrean involvement in Conflict but my father acknowledged their presence in March 2021.
Departure of It was the Eritrean forces announced several times before but not verified.
Exact number of the war remains unknownalthough the United States has said as many as 500,000 people They lost their lives, while African Union envoy Olusegun Obasanjo told the Financial Times earlier this month that up to 600,000 have been killed.
The International Crisis Group and Amnesty International have described the conflict – which did happen also displaced more from two million people And left millions more in need of help – as “one of deadliest in the world. “
