Federal Govt's Peace Efforts in Tigray Not Reciprocated, Used by Defunct TPLF to Reorganize: Former Chairman

Addis Ababa, June 12, 2026 (ENA) —Even if the Federal Government made significant efforts to implement the Pretoria Peace Agreement through humanitarian support, budget allocations and the establishment of the Tigray Interim Administration, those efforts were not reciprocated by the defunct TPLF leadership, according to Aregawi Berhe, the founding member and former Chairman of the front.

The former Chairman also criticized the silence of the international community on the ongoing military recruitment and rearmament as this emboldens the defunct party to undermine the Pretoria Peace Agreement and destabilize the Horn of Africa.

"The federal government was working hard to facilitate the peace process in that region. But the recipient of that effort was not up to any type of peace agreement," he noted.

Aregawi elaborated that the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) leaders, instead of fully embracing the peace process, viewed the Pretoria Agreement as an opportunity to regroup and pursue their long-term objectives.

"They want to use the Pretoria peace process to gain time and to reorganize themselves to continue their ill-fated intentions," he said.

In an exclusive interview with the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), Aregawi said the belligerent TPLF continues to rebuild its military capability despite the signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.

"They are still recruiting troops and armies. The larger army they had....has dwindled very much; so they had to recruit new forces," Aregawi stated.

Yet the international community is silent about the ongoing military recruitment and rearmament, Aregawi criticized, adding that this emboldens the defunct party to undermine the Pretoria Peace Agreement and destabilize the Horn of Africa.

His remarks echo concerns raised by former Tigray Interim Administration President Getachew Reda and National Security Adviser Redwan Hussien, who wrote in an Al Jazeera commentary that hardline TPLF elements use the Pretoria Agreement as an opportunity to regroup and prepare for renewed confrontation.

“Aided and abetted by Asmara, the hardline rump of the TPLF has decided to launch an offensive against the federal government in the coming days,” they stated in their commentary.

According to the former TPLF Chairman, many former fighters have become increasingly disillusioned with the direction being taken by the now defunct TPLF leadership.

"Most of the old-generation army has left the organization because they see no future in this leadership," he added.

As a result, the leadership is recruiting minors. "They snatch kids as young as 13 and 14 and so on from their parents," Aregawi revealed.

However, he pointed out that many families in Tigray have been actively resisting the forceful conscription by sending their children away from the region.

"The people in general have totally disagreed with the recruiting projects; and they are letting their children run away to the central parts of Ethiopia or across the Red Sea or through foreign countries, through Sudan and so on," Aregawi elaborated.

Nevertheless, the former Chairman expressed concern that international actors have remained largely silent about the recruitment activities and preparations for renewed confrontation.

"The international community is not criticizing this process of child recruitment. It should have condemned it; it should have opposed it. But they are not doing so," he said.

Such silence could jeopardize the gains secured through the Pretoria Agreement, Aregawi stressed.

Noting the significant efforts made by the Federal Government to support post-conflict recovery in the regional state, the former Chairman stated that those efforts were not matched by the defunct TPLF leadership.

Aregawi also noted that the hardline elements within the now defunct TPLF undermined successive interim administrations established following the Pretoria Agreement.

Warning of the broader consequences of renewed conflict, the former Chairman warned that instability in Ethiopia would have ramifications across the Horn of Africa.

He noted that Ethiopia's growing role in regional integration, infrastructure development and economic transformation makes peace and stability increasingly important not only for Ethiopians but also for neighboring countries.

Addressing the youth of Tigray and members of the diaspora, Aregawi urged all to reject calls for renewed confrontation, and instead support peace and development.

"I appeal to the youth of Tigray in particular to wake up and stand for the people, for the right interests of the people, so that this self-centered leadership will not prevail," he said.

"Stand on the side of the people instead of standing on the side of these people who have brought this misery to the people of Tigray."