In a significant move aimed at restoring order in the troubled Tigray region, the Tigray Interim Administration has pledged to take robust measures against escalating crime and security threats. The announcement was made by Vice President General Tadesse Woreda, who articulated the administration’s commitment during a press briefing on Saturday. General Tadesse emphasized that traditional policing measures are insufficient to tackle the current crisis. Rather, a multifaceted approach involving all security and law enforcement agencies will be employed to regain control of the situation.
The Tigray Interim Administration has already initiated actions to curb the region’s lawlessness, including the detention of individuals implicated in serious crimes. This initiative is part of a larger strategy that emerged from extensive investigations following the November 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement, which sought to end the Tigray War. In particular, authorities have targeted illegal iron ore smuggling as part of the broader effort to restore law and order.
This crackdown comes amid ongoing human rights concerns in the region. Human Rights Watch has documented continued ethnic cleansing, reporting that Amhara forces and local authorities have been forcibly removing Tigrayans from the Western Tigray Zone even after the ceasefire agreement was enacted. Furthermore, numerous cases of arbitrary detention, torture, and forced deportation have been reported, raising alarm among human rights organizations.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, civil society groups in Tigray have raised urgent concerns about a dramatic increase in gender-based violence. Twenty-seven Tigray-based organizations recently criticized the Transitional Government’s security and justice institutions for their failure to prevent and address these crimes. Mekelle city police data, cited by DW, reveals that in the past eleven months, 12 women were murdered, 80 raped, 10 kidnapped, and 178 faced attempted murder.
For more detailed coverage, please refer to the original article on Jurist.