Ethiopia: There are no foreign soldiers in Tigray region

ADDIS ABABA - Foreign troops who may have crawled secretly to the Tigray region have since left, a top officer in the Ethiopian military has hinted, noting that the Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] is in charge of the region, which witnessed the worst genocide in modern Africa in as many years.

Major General Teshome Gemmechu Directorate General of Defense Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation of ENDF said the country's military has taken charge, perhaps in compliance with the peace accord signed in Nairobi and Pretoria between Addis Ababa and Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF].

While briefing military attaches, African Union representatives, and members of the international community, Major General Teshome maintained that Ethiopia was committed to achieving peace and stability, after having been ranked as one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa.

There have been concerns that the Eritrean troops are yet to completely withdraw from Tigray even with reports that a number of them have left Shire and Axum, an ancient town in the northern region. The Amhara regional militia has also been fighting alongside ENDF in Tigray.

He also said there were many encouraging steps taken to implement the agreement including visits by government officials, opening up and services in the Tigray region, ENDF said, crediting the government for 78% of daily humanitarian supplies, and asking the international community “to strengthen their support.”

Already, the Tigray People's Liberation Front has handed over sophisticated weapons to the national army while pledging to obey resolutions of the Nairobi peace deal. The US and other members of the international community have lauded both parties for showing "incredible" commitment to the deal.

It is to be recalled that the African Union Monitoring, Verification, and Compliance Mechanism that was officially launched in Mekelle, the capital city of Tigray regional state on Thursday 29 December, and appointed Maj. Gen. Stephen Radina of Kenya to lead the team. So far, both parties are genuinely complying with the implementation of the deal.

The committee has previously issued a statement on the “withdrawal of foreign and non-ENDF forces from the region” which was stipulated to have happened “concurrently” with the “disarmament of heavy weapons,” according to the Executive Declaration on the Modalities for the Implementation of the Pretoria agreement, which was signed in Nairobi on 12 November 2022.

Ethiopia has been struggling with the civil war for two years, potentially raising merits on the genuineness of handing over the Nobel Peace prize to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Mr. Ahmed has struggled to lead the country, with persistent growing rebellion even from his own Oromia region.

GAROWE ONLINE