Ethiopia appoints interim Tigray administration

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Friday the creation of an interim administration for the northern Tigray region, after recent fighting between federal forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

Abiy's office said the federal caretaker administration would run Tigray for the next six months and aim to create “a stable political situation so that free and transparent elections can be held”. Addis Ababa also announced the appointment of five officials, including the mayor of Mekelle.

The TPLF launched a major offensive against government forces on September 23 before being pushed back and losing control of strongholds including the regional capital, Mekelle.

Tigray had been outside Addis Ababa's control and did not take part in June federal elections, which were won by Abiy's Prosperity Party.

Abiy's office accused the TPLF leadership of not wanting peace and of starting the latest war. The TPLF, which previously ruled Ethiopia before Abiy became prime minister in 2018, was banned as a political entity last year.

The region fought a 2020-2022 war against federal forces supported by Eritrean troops, leaving an estimated 600,000 people dead. A 2022 peace deal ended that fighting but left disputes over its terms.

Kjetil Tronvoll, a regional specialist at Oslo New University College, said the question of elections was “key”, including whether the six-month timeline was possible and which parties would be allowed to take part.