Getachew Reda: Tigray to Remain Under Federal Command Post for Six Months Before Elections, Declares War Over as TPLF Vows Counteroffensive

Getachew Reda, former President of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA) and current Advisor to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on East African Affairs, said Tigray would be placed under a federal government command post following the removal of the TPLF, with regional elections expected to be held within six months.

In an interview with TBS, Reda said the primary task of the command post would be to make Tigray governable, restore security and facilitate rehabilitation and recovery during the six-month transitional period.

According to Getachew Reda, humanitarian assistance would follow as federal forces and their allies establish control over each town. Security would be maintained by the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and the Tigray Peace Force (TPF).

Reda also stated that internally displaced persons (IDPs) would be returned to their homes and communities in Western Tigray.

On the political transition, he called on political parties to begin preparing for elections, which he said would be conducted under the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE).

Regarding the future role of TPLF members, Reda said that, except for individuals implicated in criminal activities, TPLF members could participate in and contribute to Tigray’s rehabilitation and recovery.

Adigrat Falls Under ENDF and TPF Control

The latest major town to have fallen under the control of the ENDF and TPF is Adigrat, located approximately 35 kilometres from the Eritrean border.

Against this backdrop, Getachew Reda repeatedly declared that the war was over and insisted there was no possibility of TPLF’s comeback. He said Adwa and Axum will fall tomorrow.

He also claimed that TPLF leaders were currently positioned in areas around the Mereb River, south of the Eritrean border.

Contrasting Messages From Getachew Reda and TPLF Leadership

Getachew Reda’s declaration that the war was over came on the same day that TPLF Deputy Chairman Amanuel Assefa and the party’s Communications Office issued statements on social media from undisclosed locations, declaring their readiness to launch what they described as a “miraculous counteroffensive” to bury the “PP genocidal regime.”

The sharply contrasting statements reflect two fundamentally different portrayals of the situation on the ground: while Getachew Reda presents the war as effectively concluded and outlines a six-month political transition, the TPLF leadership continues to signal its intention to pursue military resistance.