June 30, 2026
By Staff Writer | Borkena
NAIROBI, Kenya — TPLF (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) Secretary W/ro Fetlework Gebre-Egzabher (Monjorino) alleged that the federal government is moving troops from Western Tigray to Eastern Tigray. She made the allegation during a press briefing Tuesday evening.
Security and military movements were the main issues discussed during the briefing.
Fetlework said the federal government is withdrawing soldiers from areas in Western Tigray and deploying them to Eastern Tigray. While she did not explain the reason for the troop movements, she said the TPLF is “closely monitoring the situation.”
In addition to security and military issues, Fetlework criticized the recent U.S. visa restrictions imposed on what Washington described as “hardline” TPLF leaders and members.
She said the visa restrictions are not simply intended to punish individuals but also target the “principles” the TPLF stands for, framing the issue in the context of the “right to self-determination.” She stressed that the TPLF would not abandon its core beliefs despite the pressure it is facing.
“The main goal of the Tigrayan people and the TPLF is to have the right to self-administration and self-determination,” she stated.
Fetlework also said the TPLF leadership has informed the U.S. government that its members have no plans to travel to Addis Ababa or outside Ethiopia.
The U.S. government has accused unspecified TPLF leaders of undermining the Pretoria Agreement, which ended the two-year war between November 2020 and November 2022.
Similarly, the European Union this week urged dialogue on implementing the Pretoria Agreement. The TPLF has accused the federal government of violating the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA). The extension of Tadesse Worede’s term in office, return of “Tigray territories” (reference to Wolkait and Raya” , and the return of displaced people to their homes are among the issues the TPLF cites as violations of the agreement.
For its part, the Federal government has accused the TPLF of preparing for war against the federal government with support from foreign powers. Eritrea has frequently been cited by name. The ministry has also accused the TPLF of politicizing displaced people by attaching political and security conditions to the return of displaced people.
The TPLF secretary also had a message for the United States. She said “the U.S. government can protect its interests in the region by working with the TPLF, not by threatening it.”
U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Ervin Massinga was reportedly planning to visit the Tigray region but later canceled the trip. The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa subsequently released a brief statement calling for African Union-led dialogue on implementing the Pretoria Agreement.
The TPLF allegation is not independently verified. The Federal government has not responded to the statement at the time of this writing.
Edited by Dimetros Birku
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