Ethiopia announced on October 17 (local time) that it will establish an interim administration in the Tigray region after its military regained control of the northern area. According to a statement from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the interim administration will operate for six months, after which free elections will be held in the region.
The move follows the Ethiopian military's pushback of an insurgency launched last month by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The largest political party in Tigray initiated the uprising after declaring in April that it was retaking control of the region, effectively ending a peace agreement with Ethiopia's federal government.
The Ethiopian government pledged that the interim administration will create "a stable political situation" in Tigray so that free elections can be held. Five officials have been appointed to run the region, including the mayor of Mekelle. These officials will carry out "directives and guidelines" issued directly by the federal government.
The TPLF has not yet responded to the announcement. In September, the insurgent group launched a large-scale campaign in coordination with several other armed groups aimed at toppling Prime Minister Abiy's government. Ethiopia's government has accused Eritrea — a breakaway state — of supporting the TPLF, an accusation Eritrea denies.
After some initial gains in the Afar region, TPLF fighters were defeated and lost Tigray's major cities. They surrendered in Mekelle in early October. Eritrean forces that had entered Tigray withdrew after intense drone strikes by the Ethiopian military.
The TPLF held power in Ethiopia for nearly 30 years until 2018, when Prime Minister Abiy's party came to power. In response, Tigray boycotted national elections and rejected the central government, creating a serious rift.
The region is still suffering the aftermath of the 2020-2022 war between federal forces — then backed by Eritrea — and the TPLF, which killed nearly 600,000 people. A peace agreement ended the fighting, but many key commitments were not implemented, including the repatriation of displaced people and the disarmament of the TPLF.
Since tensions escalated recently, Ethiopia and Eritrea have accused each other of inciting war, raising fears of a broader conflict. On Wednesday, the United States called on both sides to "de-escalate" during a phone call between Prime Minister Abiy and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
