Addis Abeba– The Tigray Interim Administration has accused certain leaders within the Tigray military forces of “inappropriately” working to dismantle local government structures, warning that such actions could lead to a “severe crisis.”The accusation follows an incident in Seharti district, where “security forces” allegedly used force to seize a kebele administration stamp, injuring 17 people, according to the district administrator.
In a statement issued on February 20, the Interim Administration alleged that some leaders of the Tigray military forces were “inappropriately carrying out activities to dismantle the structures of the interim administration.” It cited an incident in Seharti Samre district, located 40 km from the capital of the Tigray region, where it claimed force was used “against innocent people.”
Atakelti Girmay, the district administrator appointed under the Interim Administration, confirmed to Voice of America (VOA) that 17 people were injured when security forces forcefully attempted to take a stamp belonging to a kebele administration. “Security forces should focus on maintaining peace and security rather than siding with a political party to target the public,” he said.
Colonel Hagos Gebre, head of the regional security structure known as “Army 26,” dismissed the allegations, stating that security forces entered the area in response to “public calls” and that “no action was taken against residents.” He described the accusations as an attempt to “tarnish the army’s reputation.”
The Interim Administration emphasized that the Tigray military forces were “established as a defensive force to ensure the survival of its people, not to fulfill any group’s pursuit of power.” However, it stated that “it is entirely unacceptable for them to be involved in dismantling the interim administration’s structures outside the legal framework.”
“If this situation continues, our people, both inside and outside [Tigray], should properly understand that we will enter into a severe crisis that we cannot escape from as a people,” the Tigray Interim Administration cautioned.
The Interim Administration acknowledged that “legal or procedural gaps” might exist but insisted that such issues should be addressed through “police and militia working with their people” rather than military intervention.
“Members of the army should not and must not be deployed to their respective kebeles to participate in dismantling government structures,” the statement read, calling on the Tigray military forces to “properly understand these legal violations” and take action to stop those “standing against their people and government.”
The statement from the Tigray Interim Administration comes amid escalating divisions within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) between factions led by Debretsion Gebremichael and Interim Administration President Getachew Reda. Recent developments have seen elements of the Tigray military forces aligning with one side, heightening concerns over further instability.
In a statement issued on January 23, 2025, some leaders of the Tigray military forces announced their decision to dissolve and restructure the region’s interim administration, describing it as “weakened” and “failing to meet its responsibilities.”
The leaders accused the Interim Administration, established under the Pretoria Agreement, of being influenced by “external forces,” further claiming that the administration had become “a tool for others.” They alleged that some of its leadership had “committed treason, abandoned public interests, and acted beyond their assigned mission.”
In response, the Tigray Interim Administration accused the leaders of making “a clear announcement of a coup,” adding that the move “deviates from its mission” and warning that it could “jeopardize the Pretoria Agreement.” AS
