ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) – The interim government of Ethiopia's Tigray region has called for intervention from the federal government following a seizure of control by a faction of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) over two significant towns. This recent power struggle has raised alarm about the potential for a renewed civil conflict in the region, which still bears the scars of a devastating two-year war.
On Tuesday, a faction of the TPLF captured Adigrat, the second-largest town in Tigray, and promptly installed a new administrator, displacing the incumbent who was loyal to the interim government. Following this, the faction took control of Adi-Gudem, a town in close proximity to the regional capital, Mekele, on Wednesday night. Reports indicated that multiple individuals sustained injuries when government buildings were targeted during the clashes in Adi-Gudem.
The TPLF had previously engaged in a brutal war against the Ethiopian federal forces that lasted from November 2020 until its conclusion in November 2022, marked by a peace agreement leading to the establishment of a TPLF-led interim government. The conflict resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, with millions displaced and many facing famine in Africa’s second-most populous nation.
Since the end of the war, however, the TPLF has fragmented. In October, Debretsion Gebremichael, the TPLF leader, took the step of expelling Getachew Reda, the head of the interim government, along with four other cabinet members from the party. As a countermeasure, Reda temporarily suspended four senior military commanders whom he suspected were aligned with Gebremichael’s faction, creating further tension within the party.
The Tigray Communication Affairs Bureau, representing the interim government, issued a statement on Wednesday warning that “the region may be on the brink of another crisis.” In a televised interview, Reda characterized the recent actions of the TPLF as a “potential coup attempt.” He stressed the urgency for the international community—critical in upholding the Pretoria Peace Agreement—to closely monitor the escalating situation in Tigray.
Reda urged that “the parties to the Pretoria Agreement should really take into account the deteriorating situation in Tigray and the far-reaching ramifications of the unraveling of the Pretoria agreements.” He emphasized the delicate nature of the current environment and the importance of accountability among key stakeholders in the peace process.
In response, TPLF deputy chairman Amanuel Assefa asserted that the ongoing crises should be viewed in the context of law enforcement matters rather than issues related to the Pretoria agreement. He declared that “the TPLF and the Tigray forces are the rightful owners of the Pretoria Agreement. Therefore there is no reason to engage in any actions that would violate that.”
The precarious power struggle within the TPLF and escalating tensions could significantly impact the fragile peace established after the two-year conflict. The situation in Tigray remains volatile, as competing factions navigate their interests amid concerns of renewed violence, prompting calls for urgent action from both national and international parties.
