Ethiopia announces instalment of interim government in Tigray

What the report says

Ethiopia has announced an interim administration for Tigray after federal forces regained control of the northern region, according to Al Jazeera’s report citing a statement from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The arrangement is intended to last six months, after which Abiy said free elections would be held in the state. The government said the temporary authority is meant to help create a more stable political environment in Tigray.

The report says five officials were named to run the region, including the mayor of Mekelle, Tigray’s capital. Those officials are expected to follow directives from the federal government. The announcement comes after an armed push by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, was beaten back by Ethiopian forces. Al Jazeera reported that the group had launched an uprising after saying in April that it was taking back control of the region, effectively breaking with the earlier peace arrangement.

The TPLF had governed Ethiopia for decades before Abiy’s party came to power in 2018, and tensions between Tigray and the central government later escalated into the 2020-2022 war. Al Jazeera said that conflict, which involved federal forces and Eritrean backing at the time, caused massive loss of life and displacement. The latest fighting has also revived accusations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, with the United States urging both sides to de-escalate, the report said.