US demands Ethiopia 'immediately' releases detainees after lifting state of emergency

The United States welcomed Ethiopia's lifting of its wartime state of emergency Tuesday but urged the government to promptly release people detained during the recent conflict with the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

"We urge that this move be immediately followed by the release of all individuals arrested or detained without charge under the state of emergency," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

Ethiopia's parliament on Tuesday voted for an early end to a six-month state of emergency declared in November when rebellious Tigrayan forces threatened to march on Addis Ababa, the country's capital city.

Parliament's decision came after the cabinet last month proposed cutting short the state of emergency in light of improving security conditions in the country.

After swift advances in November, most of the rebellious forces have since retreated back to their region, Tigray, and there are signs of a tentative thaw in relations between the warring sides.