Ethiopia accelerates its withdrawal from Eritrea

Ethiopia has accelerated the process of withdrawing its forces from the Eritrean territories at a time when the plan provides for ending border war between the two countries is proceeding progressively.

Eye- witnesses said that more than 1,000 Ethiopian soldiers withdrew from Senafi town to the south of Eritrea on Tuesday together with their tanks and heavy artillery, and even 30 donkeys to transport the supplies. The soldiers were re-deployed in the area adjoining the Ethiopian border town of Zalambeisa in the framework of a comprehensive pullout of the forces from inside the Eritrean territories which extend to 1000 kilometers.

The Ethiopian forces commander of operation in Senafi Zalambeisa area said that all soldiers under his command will be re-deployed on the Ethiopian side of the borders by today ( Thursday). But he refused to mention number of soldiers deployed on the front. However, other well-informed sources said that there is almost 40,000 soldiers.

To this effect, the commander of the UN peace keeping forces in the area surrounding Senafi Maj. Roger Barit said that Ethiopia's withdrawal was organized and before the said date as the government of Ethiopia took a group of journalists to Senafi to see the operation of re-deploying the soldiers, noting that the forces had sneaked to Eritrea in May 2000 only for the purpose of ending the war.

Worthy mentioning some 4200 UN peace keeping troopers for observing an isolated are at a depth of 25 Km have been deployed on the Eritrean side of the borders at the time when the two armies are separated.

According to the signed peace keeping plan between the two neighboring states, Ethiopia has only until Monday to withdraw all its forces from the Eritrean territories.