Ethiopia: Troops Seen Leaving Towns In Tigray

Locals in the towns of Tigray have confirmed that the convoys of Eritrean troops aligned with Ethiopia's government were seen pulling out of Tigray.

The US hailed the "ongoing withdrawal" as a key step to peace after two years of fighting.

Eritrean military was observed fleeing towns in the Tigray area of northern Ethiopia, where they had been battling with Ethiopian government troops against rebels.

After a nearly two-year war, a cease-fire agreement reached in November brought peace to the restive region.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front was disarmed as part of the accord (TPLF).

The TPLF rebels demanded that forces leave Eritrea, although some Eritrean fighters remained dispersed throughout the region.

The US and the European Union have also encouraged Eritrea to withdraw its soldiers.

Residents were reported in media sources on Sunday as stating that convoys of Eritrean military were leaving the towns of Shire and Adwa.

Due to limited access to Tigray, the claim could not be independently confirmed.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed about the "ongoing withdrawal" of Eritrean forces, calling the pullout a "significant progress."

"[Blinken] welcomed this development, noting that it was key to securing a sustainable peace in northern Ethiopia, and urged access for international human rights monitors," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.