Eritrea withdraws first troops from Ethiopia's civil war region of Tigray

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A tank in Tigray

Photo: YASUYOSHI CHIBA / AFP

The US has welcomed the withdrawal of Eritrean forces from the northern Ethiopian conflict region of Tigray.

After the peace agreement between the Ethiopian government and the rebel organization TPLF, this development is "the key to securing a lasting peace in northern Ethiopia," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to his ministry, in a phone call with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Blinken confirmed the US commitment to support the peace process in Ethiopia.

At the same time, he called for human rights monitors to be given access to Tigray, ministry spokesman Ned Price said.

Eyewitnesses reported an Eritrean troop withdrawal from Tigray.

However, it remained unclear whether this was the beginning of a full withdrawal or whether some Eritrean troops should remain in the region.

There was initially no official statement from Ethiopia's neighboring country on the troop movements.

Two years of fighting in Tigray ended in November with a ceasefire brokered by the African Union (AU).

It is estimated that around half a million people were killed in the conflict, and at least two million people were forced to flee.

Neighboring Eritrea had supported the Ethiopian army in fighting in Tigray.

Eyewitnesses to the AFP news agency have now reported the withdrawal of a large number of Eritrean soldiers from two cities in Tigray.

It was initially unclear where they were going.

No Eritrean representative was present when the peace agreement was signed on November 2.

The US and human rights organizations have accused Eritrea of ​​committing some of the most brutal abuses in the conflict.

dop/AFP