Debretsion Gebremichael elected head of Tigray government by TPLF Council

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) said on Tuesday that the Tigray State Council had resumed regular activities after a three-year suspension, accusing Ethiopia's federal government of violating the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement that ended the two-year war in northern Ethiopia.

The TPLF said the council convened its sixth regular session of its sixth term and elected Debretsion Gebremichael as president of the Tigray government. The council also elected Mrs. Kiros Hagos as speaker and Mrs. Mihret Berhe as deputy speaker, according to the statement.

The TPLF said the council had been suspended following the conflict but was resuming operations because Ethiopia's government had “violated the Pretoria Agreement” signed on Nov. 2, 2022, between the federal government and the TPLF.

Debretsion was elected president by majority vote, with one vote against and three abstentions, before taking the oath of office, the statement said. The council also approved a proposal authorising Debretsion to continue executive restructuring and administrative duties until the council's next session.

Last month, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the extension of Lt. Gen. Tadesse Worede’s tenure as chief administrator of the Tigray Interim Administration for an additional one-year term beginning on April 9, 2026. Federal authorities stated that extending the interim administration would provide additional time to consolidate the peace agreement and create conditions that could eventually support the credible implementation of the Pretoria deal.

However, the decision was strongly rejected by the TPLF, which criticised the extension as interference in the region’s political autonomy. The TPLF has also taken steps, including reinstating the pre-war regional council, in an apparent attempt to block the interim administration’s term extension.

Last week, Lt. Gen. Tadesse spoke with the media and dismissed calls for his resignation, arguing that any leadership transition should occur through formal legal and institutional mechanisms rather than through “public pressure or online campaigns.” Emphasising that governance in Tigray should remain “inclusive and people-centred.” He also disclosed growing friction with federal authorities, including accusations made during a meeting attended by Abiy Ahmed that Tigray leaders were preparing for renewed conflict and stockpiling fuel for war, claims he stated he disputed.

Tadesse further stressed that Tigray leadership must adhere to lawful procedures despite existing challenges, and criticised the TPLF’s decision to restore the pre-war regional council, describing it as inconsistent with the Pretoria Peace Agreement and warning that its consequences require careful evaluation.

The decision by the TPLF is widely seen as a challenge to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s move to extend the term of the interim administration. It also comes after months of escalating rhetoric between the two sides.

The TPLF has accused the federal government of violating the Pretoria Peace Agreement and mobilising troops in preparation for renewed conflict. Meanwhile, Addis Ababa has accused the TPLF of working with Eritrea to “plot” a new war against the Ethiopian government.

Recently, the Ethiopian government also accused Sudan’s military of supporting TPLF fighters operating along Ethiopia’s western frontier. Ethiopian authorities alleged that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) had provided arms and financial support to the group, facilitating incursions into Ethiopian territory. The government further claimed there was “ample and credible evidence” that Sudan was serving as a base for “anti-Ethiopian forces.”

The accusations came after Sudan accused Addis Ababa of facilitating drone strikes allegedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The Ethiopian government has yet to respond to the TPLF’s latest decision. However, fears of a return to large-scale conflict are growing.