Addis Ababa, October 10, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC) has designated nine reception points across Tigray region for combatants willing to lay down their arms and enter the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process, reaffirming the government’s commitment to implementing the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
Speaking to the media, NRC Deputy Commissioner Brigadier General Derbie Mekuriaw said the Commission was established by the Council of Ministers to facilitate the transition of armed group members to peaceful civilian life through disarmament, rehabilitation and reintegration.
The Commission began implementing the DDR process in Tigray region in 2017 E.C. in cooperation with the region’s interim administration. According to the Deputy Commissioner, many young people had expressed interest, entered the process and begun rebuilding their lives before its disruption.
Brigadier General Derbie accused a faction within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of undermining the Pretoria Peace Agreement, obstructing the rehabilitation process and recruiting additional young people into the conflict.
He said some young people were receiving medical treatment or waiting in towns for information about the DDR process.
Calling on thebdefunct TPLF leaders, military commanders and combatants to seize what he described as a final opportunity to return to peaceful civilian life, he stressed that the government, the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and the NRC were prepared to receive those willing to leave the fighting.
The Deputy Commissioner said individuals accused of crimes would be subject to accountability procedures, while those entering the DDR process would undergo assessment through established mechanisms.
The Commission has designated reception points in nine towns across Tigray region: Maichew and Mehoni in the Southern Zone; Mekelle in the Southeastern Zone; Adigrat and Wukro in the Eastern Zone; Adwa, Axum and Abi Adi in the Central Zone; and Shire in the Northwestern Zone.
Combatants unable to reach these locations can contact the relevant authorities by telephone for guidance on how to enter the process.
Brigadier General Derbie said the identities and military status of individuals reporting for DDR would be verified through established procedures. Military identification cards and other relevant documents could assist in confirming their records and determining their status within the process.
The Commission has also called on families, religious leaders and community members to inform combatants about the opportunity and encourage them to abandon the fighting.
According to the Deputy Commissioner, the DDR process is intended to help former combatants resume civilian life through access to education, employment and skills training, enabling them to contribute to reconstruction and community development.