Protesters Rally Against Repression, Forced Recruitment in Tigray

Addis Ababa, July 17, 2026 (ENA) —Braving rain and cold weather, demonstrators gathered at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa early this morning to protest the growing repression, abductions and the forced recruitment of young people in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region.

Organized by the Tigray Peace and Change Council under the theme: “Stop the Abductions; Let Peace Prevail,” the peaceful demonstration sought to draw the attention of the federal government and the international community to a worsening security crisis in escalated by illegal TPLF.

The protesters called for an immediate end to the abduction and forcible recruitment of young people for military purposes, insisting that the region’s youth must not once again be mobilized for war.

 

“Stop the abductions. End forced recruitment. Let peace prevail in Tigray,” was the central message of the demonstration.

The organizers accused the now-defunct Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of subjecting the people of Tigray to multifaceted repression, coercion and continued suffering.

Despite the difficult weather conditions, the demonstrators remained at the square, determined to make their voices heard and demand action against abductions, coercion and the forced mobilization of young people.

The protest comes amid growing international attention to allegations of forced conscription and human rights abuses in Tigray.

 

The United States has imposed targeted visa restrictions on certain hardline TPLF members and their immediate family members, while Human Rights Watch has also raised concerns over alleged forced recruitment in the region.

For the demonstrators, the message was clear: young people must not be forced into another war, abductions must end, and peace must prevail in Tigray.