Addis Abeba – The interim administration of the Tigray region, led by Getachew Reda, has announced that the region’s security forces are operating under its command.
The interim administration’s cabinet declared following a regular meeting on 21 September, 2024, that the “security forces in the region will continue to function as a part of the interim administration.”
The statement further clarified that the security forces, “under the leadership of the president of the interim administration and the cabinet, are carrying out their missions legally and systematically, subject to relevant studies and consultations.”
The interim administration has emphasized that the security forces “maintain a neutral stance in any agenda arising among the region’s political parties.”
The statement also dismissed the notion that the conflict in the Tigray region is between the TPLF and the interim administration. It argued that the root cause of the problem is a division among the TPLF’s top leadership.
The cabinet has asserted its authority over the region and has vowed to take legal action against any individuals or groups that obstruct its work or attempt to undermine the government’s structure.
The interim administration has noted that it will continue to assign responsibilities at various levels of the administration to strengthen its work and activities.
Furthermore, the interim administration’s cabinet has declared that “any attempt to overturn its decisions or to undermine the government’s structure is unacceptable.”
Tigray’s political landscape is currently characterized by uncertainty, arising from the ongoing division within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
This schism has pitted the party’s stalwart and chairman, Debretsion Gebremichael, against Getachew Reda, the President of the Tigray Interim Administration. The latter was expelled from party membership following the recent 14th TPLF Congress.
To reinforce this decision, the TPLF issued a statement last week announcing the expulsion of 16 former members and senior leaders, including Getachew.
The expulsion of Getachew and other key figures from the party’s executive committee, who also boycotted the Congress, has raised questions about the potential impact on their roles within the interim regional administration. There are growing concerns that this division may draw Tigrayan forces into the schism.
In a recent briefing, Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede, Deputy President of Tigray’s interim administration and head of the cabinet secretariat for Peace and Security, emphasized the critical importance of preserving the independence of the security forces in safeguarding the safety and well-being of the population.
He further advocated for a mutually beneficial relationship between security forces and political operations, ensuring that each sector enhances the effectiveness of the other. AS
