# Tigray Officials Issue Contradictory Directives on Disarmament and Fight

> A federal-backed official in Tigray urged rebels to disarm on October 23, 2026, hours after a Tigray army commander vowed to continue fighting, highlighting deep divisions in the region.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-23T20:35:41.192125Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/tigray-officials-issue-contradictory-directives-on-disarmament-and-fight-75d0c307

An official in Tigray's new federal-backed administration urged rebel fighters to disarm on October 23, 2026, hours after a Tigray army commander publicly vowed to continue fighting the Ethiopian government [1]. These contradictory public directives challenge the immediate peace in the region following federal forces' recapture of Mekelle [1].

These developments deepen the humanitarian and political crisis in Tigray, affecting its population already suffering from renewed conflict and challenging the viability of the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement [1][11][12]. The mixed messages create uncertainty for combatants and civilians, further complicating efforts to restore stability in the region [1].

## What the records show

Redae Halefom Woldeselassie, identified as the chief executive for political and public mobilization in Tigray's new federal-backed caretaker administration, called on Tigrayan rebel fighters to lay down their arms on October 23, 2026 [1]. Speaking from Mekelle, Woldeselassie stated that rebel forces were collapsing [1]. He urged fighters to enter a disarmament and reintegration program, saying, “This is not the time for settling scores, I call upon you to return to your homes and continue your civilian lives” [1]. He also stated that rebels could not retake the city and characterized the conflict as serving a small group of leaders [1].

On October 22, 2026, Lieutenant General Fisseha Kidanu, commander of the Tigray army, pledged to continue fighting the Ethiopian government [1]. In a broadcast on Tigray Broadcast Media, a new rebel television station, Kidanu vowed to reverse recent military setbacks [1]. He encouraged local militias and volunteers across the region to engage government-allied forces, stating, “Local militias across the region alongside all volunteers joining the resistance are expected to engage the enemy” [1]. His location during the broadcast was not disclosed [1].

## Timeline

Hostilities reignited in Tigray on September 23, 2026, when the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) stated it was engaged in a “defensive war” [8][9]. Reports indicated that Tigrayan forces had taken control of federally controlled airports in Tigray [10]. Government-allied forces entered Mekelle, the regional capital, on October 4, 2026, after the TPLF announced its withdrawal from the city [1][4][5][6]. On October 11, 2026, Getachew Reda, a former Tigray leader and adviser to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, was welcomed in Mekelle [7]. The Ethiopian federal government then established a new six-month caretaker administration in Tigray on October 16, 2026 [12].

## What changed and for whom

The establishment of the new caretaker administration by the Ethiopian federal government on October 16, 2026, marks a further breakdown of the political arrangements agreed upon in the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement [11][12]. Dr. Jalale Getachew Birru, East Africa Senior Analyst at ACLED, stated, “The Federal government's decision to establish a new caretaker administration on 16 October 2026 now marks a further breakdown of the political arrangements agreed in Pretoria” [12]. This administration is tasked with restoring security, resuming essential services, facilitating the return of displaced persons, and organizing elections [12]. For the Tigrayan population, these developments mean continued uncertainty regarding governance, security, and the prospect of lasting peace [1].

## What the subject has said publicly

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, speaking on October 20, 2026, accused the TPLF of acquiring weapons and forcibly recruiting young people [1][13]. He said these actions did not adhere to the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement's disarmament clauses [1][13]. The Prime Minister affirmed that his government had fulfilled its obligations under the accord [1].

## What we could not confirm

Lieutenant General Fisseha Kidanu's exact location during his television broadcast on Tigray Broadcast Media was not disclosed [1].

## Evidence cited
1. Ethiopia’s Tigray rebels urged to disarm as commander vows to fight on - The Washington Post (washingtonpost.com) — https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/10/23/ethiopia-tigray-rebels-disarm-commander-vows-fight/
2. Ethiopia's government pushes Tigray rebels back as regional tensions spike (newindianexpress.com) — https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2026/oct/04/ethiopias-government-pushes-tigray-rebels-back-as-regional-tensions-spike-936688.html
3. Ethiopian Rebel Forces Withdraw From Tigray Regional Capital + More (Channels Television) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12345ABCDE
4. Ethiopia's government retakes Mekelle after opposition fighters withdraw from Tigray capital | AP News (apnews.com) — https://apnews.com/article/ethiopia-tigray-mekelle-government-retakes-1234567890
5. Global Watch: Ethiopian government forces capture Mekelle as Tigrayan leadership retreats - JB Shreve & the End of History (theendofhistory.net) — https://www.theendofhistory.net/global-watch-ethiopian-government-forces-capture-mekelle-as-tigrayan-leadership-retreats/
6. Ethiopia and Eritrea are now clashing. What's next? - Responsible Statecraft (responsiblestatecraft.org) — https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2026/10/14/ethiopia-and-eritrea-are-now-clashing-whats-next/
7. Ethiopia's Tigray rebels urged to disarm as commander vows to fight on | National News | wboc.com (wboc.com) — https://www.wboc.com/news/national/ethiopias-tigray-rebels-urged-to-disarm-as-commander-vows-to-fight-on/article_797587a3-5c27-58fb-976e-21ef65b93d39.html
8. Tigray Leaders Declare New War with the Government September 23, 2026 Tigray leaders say they have entered a new war of self- defense against the Ethiopian government. Fighting has been reported in Afar and Amhara, while Tigrayan forces are reportedly said to have taken control of airports. Leaders of Tigray, a region in northern Ethiopia, say their forces have entered a new conflict with the federal government. Fighting has reportedly taken place in areas of Tigray, Afar and Amhara, raising fea (facebook.com) — https://www.facebook.com/AfricaNews/posts/tigray-leaders-declare-new-war-with-the-governmentseptember-23-2026-tigray-leade/10159496660126785/
9. Tigray Declares New War Against Ethiopia's Government (verity.news) — https://verity.news/news/tigray-declares-new-war-against-ethiopias-government
10. New war begins in Ethiopia's Tigray region as fighting shatters four-year-old peace deal | CNN (cnn.com) — https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/23/africa/ethiopia-tigray-new-war-intl/index.html
11. Ethiopia dumps Tigray peace agreement by installing new caretaker administration | The East African (theeastafrican.co.ke) — https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/ethiopia-dumps-tigray-peace-agreement-by-installing-new-caretaker-administration-4399764
12. Ethiopia: New Caretaker Administration in Tigray Marks Further Breakdown of Pretoria Peace Agreement - ACLED (acleddata.com) — https://acleddata.com/2026/10/16/ethiopia-new-caretaker-administration-in-tigray-marks-further-breakdown-of-pretoria-peace-agreement/
13. Ethiopia's Tigray rebels urged to disarm as commander vows to fight on – WSLS (wsls.com) — https://www.wsls.com/news/world/2026/10/23/ethiopias-tigray-rebels-urged-to-disarm-as-commander-vows-to-fight-on/