Ethiopia PM Says Eritrea To Withdraw Troops From Tigray

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Eritrea will pull its troops out of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region; a move which could potentially quell tensions

The announcement on Friday comes with Abiy, facing mounting pressure to end fighting in which both Eritrean and Ethiopian troops have been accused of mass killings.

For months both Addis Ababa and Asmara denied Eritrean troops were in Tigray, contradicting accounts from residents, aid workers, diplomats and even some Ethiopian civilian and military officials.

Abiy finally admitted Eritrea’s role in an appearance before lawmakers Tuesday, then flew Thursday to Asmara to meet with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki.

His statement Friday noted that the TPLF fired rockets on Asmara multiple times, provoking the Eritrean government to cross Ethiopian borders maintain its national security.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused Eritrean troops of killing hundreds of Tigrayans in a November massacre in the town of Axum.