Amhara forces withdraw from Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Ethiopia’s Amhara regional forces have withdrawn in neighboring war-torn region of Tigray in accordance with the African Union-led peace agreement between the Federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels, the army said on late Thursday.

The Amhara regional special forces have fought in support of federal troops during the two-year civil in Tigray.

“The Amhara regional special force, which was in a national mission along with the Army has withdrawn from the area, according to the deal,” said the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) in a statement.

The Federal army said they have conducted lot of activities following the peace agreement that was signed in South Africa and Kenya.

“TPLF has handed over heavy weapons to our defense forces through African Union observers in the first round of Agula camp,” the statement added.

Amhara regional special force, who withdrew Thursday, has been on national mission in Shire and the surrounding areas, according to the army.

The withdrawal of the Amhara forces is seen as a key step towards implementing the peace agreement that ended a two year of civil war in Tigray region.

Since the peace agreement was announced, the government said much of the essential services have resumed in Tigray but millions of people in the region are in need humanitarian assistance.

The war between Ethiopian government forces and Tigray rebels erupted in November 2020 after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) attacked federal army bases stationed in the northern region.

Hostilities subsided after the two sides signed agreements in Pretoria and Nairobi in November last year.

The Tigray conflict has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions more since November 2020.

A UN report released late last year placed the number of displaced people at 2.75 million, with some 12.5 million children said to be in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.