Africa-Press – Ethiopia. The main political party in Tigray has regained control of the region’s political administration, fulfilling its threat to violate a key provision of the agreement that ended the civil war with the federal government.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) announced in a statement that it has reinstated the legislative council that existed before the civil war, which took place between 2020 and 2022, and that the council elected the head of the front, Debretsion Gebremichael, as the head of the region.
Last month, the TPLF declared its intention to restore the previous political structures of the war, accusing the federal government of provoking an armed conflict with Tigray, withholding funds allocated for civil service salaries, and extending the term of the head of the interim administration without consulting it.
This possibility prompted one of the advisors to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to warn of the potential return of a “catastrophic conflict” to the region. The European Union and Britain called for de-escalation last week, while Abiy’s spokesperson, Billen Seyoum, did not respond to a request for comment, according to a local source, nor did a spokesperson for the TPLF respond to a request for comment on the motivations behind the decision or its potential consequences.
The conflict in Tigray, which drew in forces from neighboring Eritrea, was among the deadliest conflicts of the century, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands due to direct violence, the collapse of healthcare, and famine, according to researchers.
The conflict was caused by the breakdown of relations between the TPLF, an armed movement that transformed into a political party that dominated Ethiopian political life for nearly three decades, and Abiy, who ended TPLF’s dominance when he became Prime Minister in 2018.
Kjetil Tronvoll, a professor of peace and conflict studies at the New Oslo University College and a researcher on TPLF affairs, stated: “The TPLF’s decision… is a serious escalation. If urgent measures are not taken to ease tensions and initiate a de-escalation process, it could lead to the outbreak of a new armed conflict.”
The Pretoria Agreement has faced pressure in recent months, with armed skirmishes erupting since January between TPLF forces and the federal army and government-aligned fighters.
The Pretoria Agreement stipulated the establishment of a temporary administration formed through dialogue between the TPLF and the Ethiopian federal government to manage the Tigray region until new elections could be organized.
Last month, the TPLF announced that it would replace the interim administration, accusing the federal government of violating the Pretoria Agreement by extending the term of the head of the interim administration without consulting it.
The head of the interim administration, Tadese Worede, stated that he intends to remain in his position, leading to the creation of competing authorities. On Monday, an explosion occurred near the offices of the interim administration in Mekelle, the capital of the region, according to a local resident. The BBC’s Tigrinya service reported that police stated a hand grenade caused the explosion, but there were no injuries. It remains unclear who was responsible for the explosion.
