Tensions that escalated when Tigrayan leaders Debretsion Gebremichael and Getachew Reda clashed were ultimately resolved after Debretsion’s forces prevailed. This victory led to the appointment of Tadesse Werede—who had sided with Debretsion—as the new head of the Tigray administration. Getachew Reda, who maintained ties with the federal government, was unceremoniously expelled from Mekele in October 2024. He later resurfaced in Addis Ababa and was appointed as Abiy Ahmed’s Advisor for East Africa. Debretsion’s group is said to be collaborating with Eritrea in plans to overthrow Abiy Ahmed. Debretsion’s group, still bitter over Abiy Ahmed’s role in stripping them of power and the brutal two-year war over Tigray, is reportedly collaborating with Eritrea in efforts to overthrow him. While this may seem surprising—given that Eritrea previously fought alongside Abiy against Tigray—it suggests that old alliances are shifting and a new political alignment is beginning to take shape. Recent events in the Ethiopia-Eritrea border town of Zalambessa—a unilateral decision by the Tigray region and the Eritrean government to open the border, albeit for just a day, allowing communities to reunite for the first time in five years—are believed to be connected to these developments. Stalin Gebreselassie, a U.S.-based TPLF activist and social media commentator, was recently welcomed in Asmara.

The position of the Tigray security forces—often referred to as the Tigray Defense Force (TDF)—has largely remained out of the public eye, with one notable exception: An official statement from the powerful faction led by Lt. Col. Gebre Gebretsadiq on January 23, 2025, This faction publicly condemned Getachew Reda’s interim administration, accusing it of failing to serve the public interest and neglecting its duty to fulfill the terms of the Pretoria Agreement, thereby siding with Debretsion.

Word on the street is that things are starting to shift. Certain branches of the Tigray security forces are not on board with recent developments. Some members stationed along the border of the Afar and Amhara regions have voiced their displeasure over Getachew Reda’s dismissal and are openly at odds with Debretsion’s approach. The opposition party Salsay Woyane Tigray views these events as cause for concern, warning that the growing rift between the two armed factions could push the region to the brink of civil war.

Spokesperson of the party, Berhane Atsebeha, says that the ongoing military activities and verbal exchanges between the two armed factions show that tensions are running high and a resolution remains elusive. He warns that before these military actions bring devastating effects on civilians and further isolate Tigray, a comprehensive dialogue must be held. “The factions that opposed the January 23, 2025, declaration and the dismissal of Getachew Reda are reportedly organizing military training in the Hara area near the Afar border. Meanwhile, forces based in Mekele have declared, “We will destroy this force. This is disconcerting for the region,” says the spokesperson of the Salsay Woyane party.

In a recent interview, Tadesse Werede, head of the Tigray administration, emphasized that any internal conflicts must be resolved through peaceful means when asked about the ongoing divisions. However, this assurance has not convinced everyone. An organization called Voice for Democracy and Social Justice, in collaboration with Human Rights First and the Solidarity of Tigreans for Independence and Liberty, has voiced deep concern over the widening rift within the political leadership and the fragmentation of the security forces.

“What initially began as unified support for a single political faction among the majority of “senior military commands” has now devolved into visible and potentially volatile divisions,” the statement reads. “Security forces that once coordinated joint resistance and fought side by side against external adversaries are now fractured and increasingly positioned as rivals. This internal discord is not merely a political dispute — it is a looming crisis.”