The spokesman for the regional authorities in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray has said despite the organised withdrawal of most Eritrean forces “small units” still remain – three months after a peace deal was agreed to end the two-year conflict.

The African Union brokered a deal between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian government last November.

Eritrea, whose troops fought alongside government forces, was not mentioned by name in the agreement, signed in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, in November.

TPLF’s Getachew Reda made the remarks about Eritrean troops during a news conference with local media after the first meeting between TPLF officials and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the TPLF-run Tigray TV reported.

“Although there were occasions when they [Eritrean troops] withdrew in an organised manner, there are instances of in and out of small units, and this should be addressed fully,” he said.

Mr Getachew added that they agreed during last week’s meeting with the prime minister that federal forces should be deployed to areas bordering Eritrea “to ensure security as part of the Pretoria [peace] agreement”.

An academic study last year estimated total civilian deaths in Tigray – caused by the fighting, starvation and lack of health care – stood at between 385,000 and 600,000.

source: BBC