Addis Ababa, October 7, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC) has called on militants in the Tigray Region to hand over their arms to Ethiopian Defense Force units near their vicinities and enter the rehabilitation process.
The Commission has also declared its full operational readiness to accelerate the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process for combatants in the region.
Speaking to journalists, NRC Deputy Commissioner Brigadier General Derbie Mekuriaw said the DDR framework established under the Pretoria Peace Agreement remains intact and fully funded.
He confirmed that the Commission, established pursuant to the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement, has been actively implementing DDR activities in collaboration with the Tigray Interim Regional Administration since 2024.
The government, with strong support from the international community, has allocated budgets for the operations to ensure that youth in the region can transition into peaceful civilian life.
As a testament to this, the Deputy Commissioner cited the recent successful reception and rehabilitation of fighters associated with the “Army 70” group in Sudan, as reported by local news agency ENA.
Brigadier General Derbie called on militants in the region to similarly surrender their weapons and report to Defense Force units immediately, noting that most of the youth choose peace.
“By exiting this chaotic life and stepping out from the fire of war and reporting to the Defense Force, you can enter the demobilization centers prepared. There is a demobilization center prepared around Mekelle,” he said.
The Deputy Commissioner stressed that the path to peace is open and organized, calling on the militants not to lose hope or perish for the ambitions of extremists.
The National Rehabilitation Commission has established demobilization centers in and around Mekelle to handle ex-combatants.
Brigadier General Derbie outlined a clear procedure: militants should present themselves and hand over firearms to locally stationed Defense Force units, either individually or in organized groups, to access rehabilitation services.
Emphasizing the human cost of continued conflict, the Deputy Commissioner called on all youth—members of army units or forcibly conscripted—to recognize the government’s alternative.
“As these youth are assets to themselves, their families, the Tigray Region, and the country, the government and the National Rehabilitation Commission call on them to return to peace. Starting tomorrow, it is possible to enter the rehabilitation center prepared in the Mekelle area,” Brigadier General Derbie said.
The Deputy Commissioner further said that parallel DDR operations are continuing to reintegrate ex-combatants, viewing the successful transition of fighters as critical to Ethiopia’s long-term peace and development.