Ethiopia's Tigray Rebels Urged to Disarm Amid Continued Resistance

An official in Ethiopia's new federal-backed administration urged Tigrayan rebel fighters to disarm on Friday, just hours after a rebel commander vowed to continue resistance despite the loss of the region's capital. The calls highlight the continued conflict in the northern Ethiopian region, nearly three weeks after rebel forces lost control of Mekelle, the capital city.

Redae Halefom Woldeselassie, the caretaker administration's chief executive for political and public mobilization, stated that rebel forces were collapsing and encouraged fighters to join a disarmament and reintegration program. "This is not the time for settling scores, I call upon you to return to your homes and continue your civilian lives," he said in Mekelle, dismissing the possibility of rebels retaking the city and characterizing the conflict as serving a small group of leaders rather than the Tigrayan people.

Earlier, Lt. Gen. Fisseha Kidanu, identified as commander of the Tigray army, pledged on Tigray Broadcast Media to reverse recent military setbacks. He urged local militias and volunteers to engage government-held positions, despite advantages held by opposing forces in drones and heavy weapons. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has claimed significant losses inflicted on government forces, though these claims could not be independently verified by The Associated Press.

Following the capture of Mekelle, Ethiopia's government established a six-month caretaker administration tasked with restoring services, facilitating the return of displaced individuals, and preparing for elections. The government's allies include the Tigray Peace Force, comprised of former members of the TPLF's armed wing, a division that has complicated the ongoing conflict.

Redae stated that Ethiopian troops and allied forces were conducting joint security operations, including measures to prevent looting, and promised preparations for displaced residents to return, although no specific timeline was provided. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the TPLF on Monday of acquiring weapons and forcibly recruiting young people, rather than disarming under the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, asserting his government had fulfilled its obligations under the accord.

Renewed fighting has strained the Pretoria agreement, which aimed to end the devastating 2020-2022 war in the region. That conflict, according to researchers at Ghent University in Belgium, resulted in an estimated 500,000 civilian deaths due to violence, famine, and the collapse of health services. Experts like Magnus Taylor, deputy Horn of Africa director at the International Crisis Group, caution that controlling towns and roads does not guarantee control over rural areas where Tigrayan fighters may regroup, suggesting the conflict is far from over despite the loss of Mekelle.