The government of Ethiopia Friday announced that Eritrean troops have started leaving the embattled Tigray region where they were accused of committing crimes against civilians.
The announcement comes after the United States, Germany, France and other G7 countries called for a swift, unconditional and verifiable withdrawal of the Eritrean soldiers.
The United States recently urged “the establishment of a clear, inclusive political process that is acceptable to all Ethiopians, including those in Tigray, a suggestion Ethiopia has dismissed as untenable.
“The Eritrean troops who had crossed the border when provoked by the TPLF have now started to evacuate and the Ethiopian National Defense Force has taken over guarding the national border,” the ministry said.
The government of Ethiopia said it rejects repeated calls by partners to cease hostilities and negotiate with the outlawed Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
“It should be clear that the push by partners to involve the TPLF in this national dialogue process is unacceptable,” the ministry said in a statement.
It is not clear how many Eritrean soldiers have left.
Some in Tigray have asserted that the Eritrean troops have not left at all.
There have been unverifiable reports that Eritrean troops are sometimes dressed in Ethiopian military uniforms.
MG/as/APA