Large numbers of Eritrean soldiers have fled two towns in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, and the United States on Saturday welcomed an “ongoing troop withdrawal” two and a half months after the government and the Tigray rebels signed a peace deal. who supported the Ethiopian army in the bloody war against the Tigray rebels that lasted from November 2020 to the same month of 2022, left the two cities from Friday afternoon and indicated that their destination was still unknown and that the Force was still present in the two cities on Saturday.
In this context, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken welcomed “the ongoing withdrawal of Eritrean troops from northern Ethiopia” in a telephone conversation Saturday with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Blinken expressed his “welcome to this development”, noting that it is “essential to ensure lasting peace in northern Ethiopia” and called for “international human rights monitors to be allowed entry”.
The presence of these soldiers, accused of committing violations against civilians, is one of the main obstacles to peace in northern Ethiopia, despite an agreement signed on November 2 between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray rebels, but Eritrea did not participate in the negotiations.
Neither the rebels, nor the Ethiopian government, nor the East Africa Development Group (EGAD), which was involved in mediating the peace process, confirmed the withdrawal of the Eritrean soldiers to AFP.
Eritrea, which borders Tigray, has sent troops since fighting broke out in the region in November 2020, when Ahmed sent a federal army to overthrow the Tigray authorities, who had been defying him for months and accusing them of attacking federal military bases.
Both Addis Ababa and Asmara deny any Eritrean involvement with Tigray, and in late March 2021, Abyei finally acknowledged their presence and their departure was announced several times, but this was never confirmed.
These forces were accused of committing robberies, rapes and massacres throughout the war, especially in the city of Aksum and the village of Dingulat. Testimonies obtained by AFP from residents and aid workers report that many violations were committed after the signing of the Pretoria Agreement.
After the signing of the agreement, hostilities ceased and the supply of humanitarian and medical assistance gradually resumed. The federal police returned to the capital of the region, Mekelle, which was connected to the national electricity grid. But on the military front, the situation still depends on the presence of Eritrean forces.
And on January 11, the rebels announced that they had begun the surrender of heavy weapons in accordance with the agreement, saying: “They hoped that this step would help hasten the full implementation of the agreement.”
And the document implementing the peace agreement stated that “heavy disarmament (of the Tigray rebels) should take place simultaneously with the withdrawal of foreign and non-federal forces,” referring to Eritrea.
