A senior Tigray military officer has joined a group of opposition fighters. General Wedi Antiru (Gebregziabher Beyene) has been seen with Tigray Peace Force (TPF) members.
TPF is a group of Tigray youths who are organizing themselves in the Afar region of Ethiopia. They want to launch an armed resistance movement against Tigray’s ruling political and military elite. They want an end to the political hegemony held by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Tigray’s ruling and largest political party. TPF accuse senior Tigray military leaders of being hand in glove with TPLF.
TPF fighters started organizing themselves in southern Tigray and the neighboring Afar region earlier this year. Rumors have been going around about two senior Tigray military officers of supporting TPF. TPLF-backed media outlets have been accusing General Teklai Ashebir and General Gebregziabher Beyene (Wedi Antiru) of backing TPF.
On Wednesday, TPF members released new pictures. The pictures show General Wedi Antiru (Gebregziabher Beyene) with TPF members. A video has also been published showing the General monitoring the TPF training activities.
The decision by General Wedi Antiru to join anti TPLF armed movement could lead to serious splits within the Tigray military and political ranks. It is being reported by several sources that the Ethiopian Federal Government is backing TPF. Relations between the Ethiopian federal govt and TPLF have been deteriorating. The two are signatories to 2022 Pretoria Peace Deal which ended two year long deadly war in northern Ethiopia. Tensions are again rising between them.
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