The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has stepped up military mobilisation, with reports of intensified conscription in several parts of Tigray, according to multiple accounts.
For months, the TPLF and Ethiopia’s federal government have accused each other of preparing for a renewed conflict.

Reports and images circulating on X appear to show face-covered armed men in Adigudom, near Mekelle, detaining young people. Witnesses describe scenes of distress, with mothers seen crying as their children are taken away. Young people have also reportedly been forcibly recruited at gold mining sites and religious sites and then sent to military training camps.

A man from Mekelle, a former member of the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF), told DW Amharic he is being pressured to rejoin under compulsory recruitment, despite leaving the military after being injured in the conflict four years ago.

He said both his workplace and his local kebele have instructed him to re-enlist, adding that he is currently on his way to leave the region to avoid being forced back into service.

The former fighter said recruitment efforts are being carried out in various ways, including checkpoints on major roads and widespread searches in towns and villages. He added that many young people in Tigray have resisted recent calls to join up, saying they do not want to be drawn into what they see as an unnecessary war. He also said that, unlike in 2020, any renewed conflict would likely receive less support from young people, arguing there is insufficient justification for going to war. According to the young man, the current situation in the Tigray region is alarming, and war now appears to be inevitable.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on June 23 that the TPLF issued the measure in early June 2026 after removing federal-appointed regional officials and launching a conscription drive similar to neighbouring Eritrea’s national service system.

The European Union Delegation to Ethiopia has expressed concern over escalating tensions in Tigray. In a June 27 statement, it described the situation in northern Ethiopia as “tense,” citing actions by the TPLF to establish a parallel regional council and unilaterally enforce military conscription, which it said violate the Pretoria peace agreement.

It called for the urgent resumption of talks among all sides, stressing the need for renewed political dialogue to address the crisis. The delegation also said it fully supports mediation efforts led by the African Union’s High Representative to promote peace and stability in the region.

Similarly, the United States said on June 26 that it is closely monitoring the political and humanitarian situation in Tigray. It urged political and civil society leaders to engage in dialogue and fully implement the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA).

It also called on all actors undermining peace efforts to cooperate with African Union-led initiatives aimed at restoring dialogue and stability.

TPLF spokesperson Michael Asgedom denied allegations of forced conscription and the promulgation of a new law expanding TPLF powers to compel military service, saying that young people in Tigray join voluntarily, which he said is why the group “wins battles.”