Ethiopia moving troops from Eritrean border amid new peace

Ethiopian military officials say they are moving troops away from the border with Eritrea, months after the former rivals made a surprising peace.

General Asrat Denero, head of the army's Western Command, says the "threat level from the Eritrean side has declined sharply. So we have decided that there is no use in keeping that massive force in the border areas. It will be deployed to other locations."

He did not say how many troops will be moved. Lieutenant General Molla Hailemariam, special operations chief, said the majority of armed forces have been deployed there.

Amid reforms, officials also say army commands are being cut from six to four, while landlocked Ethiopia seeks to re-establish a naval force.

Ethiopia and Eritrea ended a two-decade conflict and re-established ties this year.