Jump to navigation

Eritrea

Abiy makes grudging admission on atrocities in Tigray

As horrendous reports emerge abuses of civilians in the embattled region, Addis Ababa admits involvement of Eritrean troops

International pressure seems to have prompted Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to declare on 26 March that Eritrean troops will withdraw from the Tigray region after reports of their involvement in serial atrocities against civilians.

Abiy has given no timeline for Eritrea's withdrawal yet nor did he comment on reports that Ethiopian troops were involved in some of the incidents.

The admission that Eritrean soldiers had crossed into Tigray follows months of official denials. The agreement for their withdrawal has not been confirmed by President Issayas Afewerki's government.

Abiy's announcement is the first shift in policy by Abiy in the face of mounting international condemnation (AC Vol 61 No 24, War resets the region).

There is still no sign of an end to fighting between Ethiopian troops and Tigrayan People's Liberation Front which has morphed from an official 'policing action' by federal forces into a rumbling guerrilla war. Human rights monitors, including Ethiopia's own commission, have reported abuses and massacres by all sides in recent weeks.

The humanitarian crisis caused by refugees fleeing the region is also becoming increasingly desperate, senior UN officials told Africa Confidential this week.

Abiy's announcement about Eritrea's withdrawal followed a meeting with United States Senator Chris Coons, a close ally of President Joe Biden.



Related Articles

War resets the region

The Federal government’s war with Tigray upsets geopolitics throughout the Horn, and puts Eritrea centre-stage

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's refusal to consider a ceasefire or even mediation continues to attract widespread condemnation. His unflinching stance was underlined when he met an Afr...


The edifice cracks

First a concession, then a crackdown. The ruling party's divisions over how to respond to growing revolt are on show

After the most tumultuous week in Ethiopian politics for years, which included the resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, hardliners appear to be reasserting themselve...

READ FOR FREE

October evolution

Power is shifting from party to Premier – and maybe, to the people

October has been good for Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. He has appointed a new President, reshuffled his cabinet, won gushing tributes from Western diplomats and donors, and turned ...


Dam and blast it

Cairo has backed down from threats of war over Ethiopia’s dam on the Nile but has failed to resolve any of the serious environmental issues

Egyptian Foreign Minister, Mohamed Kamel Amr, was trying to calm tension over the control of the River Nile, after a meeting his Ethiopian counterpart, Tewodros Adhanom, in Addis A...