𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐏 𝐓𝐏𝐋𝐅’𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

Addis Ababa, July 9, 2026 (FMC) – The defunct TPLF faction has once again abandoned the path of peace, escalating its campaign of violence and undermining the federal government’s long-standing efforts to stabilize the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

By systematically rejecting reconciliation, the group has returned to its historical pattern of destabilization, signaling a reckless attempt to reclaim lost influence through force and external manipulation.

This cycle of destructive politics is not a new development; throughout its tenure in federal power, the TPLF left a trail of historical grievances, steering the nation toward deep economic, social, and political instability.

Instead of embracing a progressive political framework centered on national unity, the group remains fixated on a regressive agenda, repeatedly resorting to violence to circumvent the constitutional order.

This trajectory reached a breaking point on November 2, 2020, when the faction launched a direct assault on the Ethiopian National Defense Force’s Northern Command—a betrayal that ultimately failed in its attempt to compromise the country’s sovereignty.

Despite this history of confrontation, the federal government demonstrated unwavering commitment to a peaceful resolution, culminating in the 2022 Pretoria Agreement.

This landmark accord paved the way for the establishment of an interim regional administration and initiated the critical process of rehabilitating the Tigray region.

However, the defunct TPLF group has consistently violated these commitments by re-engaging in conflict and acting as a vessel for the interests of Ethiopia’s historical detractors, thereby actively dismantling the dividends of the peace process.

Addressing the House of Peoples’ Representatives this week, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) underscored his government’s extreme patience in the face of these persistent provocations, noting that his administration has tolerated much for the sake of lasting peace.

The Prime Minister revealed that the faction’s current strategy has descended into criminality, marked by the systematic kidnapping and forced recruitment of Tigrayan youth.

Most alarmingly, the Prime Minister disclosed that the group is coercively deploying underage children into the ongoing civil war in Sudan.

This cycle of violence—accompanied by widespread internal displacement and the imposition of collective punishment on local communities—has created a climate of fear across the region, while in stark contrast, Tigrayan youth currently residing in other parts of Ethiopia remain safe, highlighting that the turmoil is a result of the rump group’s internal agenda.

Building on these observations, Prime Minister Abiy characterized the defunct faction as a proxy entity, suggesting that it lacks a domestic political vision of its own and instead serves the agendas of external enablers in Asmara and beyond.

Dismissing the group’s belligerence as a threat to Ethiopia’s existence, the Prime Minister affirmed that the nation possesses the full defensive capacity to neutralize such threats.

The government’s message remains firm: while it continues to champion the national reconciliation process, it will not allow the rump TPLF and other violent and extremist groups to jeopardize Ethiopia‘s lasting peace or the constitutional stability that the country has worked diligently to secure.

Yet, in a firm reaffirmation of his administration’s guiding principles, the Prime Minister emphasized that the government remains resolutely committed to peaceful dialogue as the only viable path to resolve differences.

He underscored that this openness to non-violent engagement extends beyond the TPLF to include all entities, highlighting the ongoing efforts to facilitate peaceful discussions with various extremist groups and armed factions currently operating within the Amhara, Oromia, and other regions.