Ethiopia: EHRC Reports Four Injured As ‘TPLF Representatives’ Attempt to Seize Govt Offices in Adi Gudom Town, Tigray
At least four people sustained physical injuries on March 11 in Adi Gudom town, Tigray region, during “unrest” that followed attempts by “those identifying as representatives of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)” to “take control of government institutions,” the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said.
In a statement on March 15, the EHRC said it is “investigating information” about the injuries that occurred in Adi Gudom, a town located 40 km from Mekelle, amid tensions between the Tigray Interim Administration and individuals claiming to represent the TPLF. The commission also noted that “four people, including the mayor,” were detained for several days before being released.
Similarly, the EHRC confirmed that in Saharti Samre district, “the security head and another individual who is a member of the Tigray Independence Party” were detained on March 11 and later released. It added that administrative changes in Mekelle and Adigrat had “exacerbated the disagreement and increased concerns within the community.”
The tensions come amid an ongoing power struggle within the TPLF, which has divided into factions led by chairman Debretsion Gebremichael and Interim Administration President Getachew Reda. The dispute escalated last week when Getachew suspended three senior military commanders, a move rejected by the region’s Peace and Security Bureau, led by his deputy, Tadesse Werede.
The interim administration accused the generals of engaging in activities that “contradict government decisions” and risk “dragging the region into internal conflict,” while the Peace and Security Bureau said the suspensions “violated institutional procedures and legal frameworks.”
Later, Getachew, currently in Addis Abeba, requested “necessary assistance” from the federal government, a move opposed by Debretsion’s faction, which warned that “direct and indirect calls for third-party intervention” posed a “serious threat” to the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
In its statement, the EHRC warned that the escalating political tensions could “reverse the relative peace and stability” achieved after the Pretoria agreement and pose “risks and threats to human rights.” It urged all parties to “refrain from actions that would escalate the problem” and instead resolve their differences “through consultation and understanding based on the law.”
EHRC Chief Commissioner Berhanu Adelo added that the commission would continue its “regular human rights monitoring and investigation work” while engaging stakeholders in dialogue and providing recommendations.
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