Two and a half months after a peace agreement was signed between the government and the Tigrean rebels, Eritrean soldiers have left in number certain cities in the Ethiopian region of the Tiger, according to the testimonies of residents on the spot.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
Eritrean soldiers in large numbers left certain cities in the Tiger region, in northern Ethiopia, an “withdrawal in progress” praised, Saturday January 21, by the United States, two and a half months after The signing of a peace agreement between the government and the Tigerian rebels.
Residents of the cities of Shire and Adwa have reported to the France -Presse (AFP) agency to have seen Eritrean soldiers – who supported the Ethiopian army in the conflict between it to the Tigernes Dissidentian authorities Between November 2020 and November 2022 – Leaving in number since Friday afternoon. Their destination was still unknown and troops were still present on Saturday in these two cities, they stressed.
After a telephone call with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, spoke of an “in progress with Eritrean troops in northern Ethiopia”. He “congratulated this development, noting that he was crucial to ensure lasting peace,” said the State Department in a press release.
The presence of Eritrean soldiers, accused of numerous abuses on civilians, is considered one of the main obstacles to peace signed on November 2 between the Ethiopian government and the Tigrean rebels.
Contacted by AFP on Saturday, the Tigernes authorities, the Ethiopian government, nor the IGAD – the intergovernmental authority for development, which participates in the mission of observation of the peace agreement – confirmed the withdrawal of Eritrean forces.
many abuses
Frontier country in the Tiger region, Eritrea sent troops from the start of the conflict in November 2020, to support the Ethiopian army. The latter had to dismiss the authorities of the region who have been disputing the authority of Abiy Ahmed for months and that the latter accused of having attacked federal military bases. Addis Ababa and Asmara denied for months any involvement of the Eritrean armed forces in the tiger. At the end of March 2021, Abiy Ahmed finally admitted their presence. Their departure has been announced several times but never verified.
These Eritrean troops were accused of looting, massacres and rapes throughout the conflict, especially in the city of Aksoum or in the village of Dengolat. Testimonies collected by AFP with residents and humanitarian workers also reported numerous abuses carried out after the signing of the agreement.
If confirmed, this withdrawal would mark a major advance in the peace process launched in November. Since the agreement, the fighting has ceased, the routing of humanitarian aid is gradually resumed, the federal police returned to the regional capital, Makalé, which was also connected to the national electrical network. But the military component remains largely subject to the Eritrean presence.
The rebels announced, on January 11, that they had started to return their heavy weapons in accordance with the agreement, saying hoping “that this will greatly help to accelerate the complete implementation [of the Treaty]”. A document on the application of the peace agreement provided in particular that “the disarmament of the heavy weapons [Tigernes] is [done] simultaneously with the withdrawal of foreign and non -federal forces”, in reference in particular to Eritrea.
At the beginning of December, they also announced that they had disengaged most of their fighters from the front lines, while maintaining it in certain places to avoid the “atrocities” led by “forces in the region which (…) are obstacles to peace “. E to ensure: “[Once these threats have been discarded,] we will do [a disengagement] at 100 %”.