SW News: Thousands of people demonstrated in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia to call for the return of those who had been displaced by a two-year war there and the removal of foreign forces that had remained since the war ended, on Tuesday.

A truce was reached in November following the death of thousands of people in the conflict between government forces and their supporters from nearby Eritrea and the Amhara area on one side and Tigrayan forces on the other.

Millions were evicted from their homes, including tens of thousands from land that Tigray and Amhara claimed as their own.

Humanitarian workers claim that the Eritrean military is still present in a number of border towns in Ethiopia. The country's administration declined to comment. Demonstrators peacefully rallied on Tuesday in several major cities such as Mekelle, Adigrat, and Shire. They held signs with slogans like "Invaders must leave our homeland."

Both parties acknowledge that important aspects are being implemented since the peace agreement has been in effect since November. A transitional administration has been established, and numerous essential services have been restored. Tigray soldiers have started to disarm.

However, the Tigrayan government has voiced its displeasure at the outside armed forces' continued presence. Getachew Reda, the head of the region's interim administration, claimed last week that Eritrean forces had recently impeded the work of a group tasked with monitoring the execution of the peace agreement.

Requests for comment from representatives of the governments of Eritrea, Ethiopia, and the Amhara region were not answered. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other international organizations are helping individuals in need as part of ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian crisis and end the conflict.

Due to ongoing restrictions on media access to Tigray, verifying the situation on the ground remains a challenge.