Ethiopian rebels in the Tigray region said Tuesday they had withdrawn from areas they had occupied for nine months in neighbouring Afar. Both the Ethiopian federal government and the Afar regional authorities are yet to respond to this. "We have already withdrawn from all areas of Afar" occupied by the TPLF, Kindeya Gebrehiwot said. "From the start, we never intended to stay" in Afar for long, "we went there to resolve security threats to Tigray", particularly "represented by Afar militias", Kindeya Gebrehiwot said Tuesday. "Kindeya Gebrehiwot, who was asked whether the withdrawal of the rebels from Afar would facilitate access to aid in Tigray, said: "Humanitarian and political issues should be separated.

Source: Ethiopian News April 27, 2022 17:54 UTC