Eritrean troops seen leaving Ethiopian town of Shire

FILE PHOTO: A building is seen through a bullet hole in a window of the Africa Hotel in the town of Shire, Tigray region, Ethiopia, March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Large numbers of Eritrean troops have left the town of Shire in Ethiopia's Tigray region where they fought in support of government forces during a two-year civil war, a resident and two humanitarian workers told Reuters on Saturday.

The Eritrean forces' continuing presence in Tigray despite a November ceasefire agreement between Ethiopia's government and Tigray regional forces that requires the withdrawal of foreign soldiers is seen as a key obstacle to a lasting peace.