Ethiopia’s Chief of General Staff, Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, has made a strong statement regarding the current status of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), claiming that the group remains armed with significant mechanized weaponry, including tanks, artillery, and anti-aircraft systems—despite commitments under the Pretoria peace accord.
Delivering a speech during the Central Command’s annual celebrations in the city of Jimma, the Field Marshal revealed that the TPLF has not fully disarmed as previously asserted by the federal government. He stated that the TPLF is now actively unearthing heavy weaponry that had been concealed following the end of the two-year war in northern Ethiopia. According to Berhanu, this re-emergence of hidden weapons directly undermines the Pretoria Agreement, which required the TPLF to disarm all heavy military equipment.
“The TPLF has not disarmed as it claimed. You surrendered some of your weapons, yes—but you also buried some, and now you are bringing them out,” said Berhanu. “You must hand over the tanks, artillery, and anti-aircraft systems that you are hiding. There can be no armed region within Ethiopia outside of the federal framework.”
The Field Marshal’s remarks sharply contrast earlier government positions. Following the Pretoria Agreement signed in November 2022, the federal government had repeatedly affirmed that the TPLF had fully surrendered its heavy weapons. Berhanu himself had previously echoed those assurances. However, his latest comments suggest a change in assessment amid growing tensions between the TPLF and the federal government.
Berhanu emphasized that heavy weapons such as tanks and anti-aircraft systems have no place in the hands of regional forces, especially under a peace agreement. “Unless Tigray has officially seceded from the federation—which it has not—it cannot be permitted to retain mechanized military power,” he said. “If you wish to secede, there is a constitutional process. You don’t need tanks to do that.”
The comments appear to reflect rising frustration within the federal government over the perceived failure of the TPLF to uphold its end of the peace deal. Tensions between Addis Ababa and the TPLF have been simmering in recent weeks, with federal officials expressing concern about the group’s political posture and military readiness.
Berhanu also used his platform to urge the TPLF to re-engage in the peace process and to stop politicizing the plight of displaced populations. “Do not use displaced people as political tools. Instead, help facilitate their safe return. This is the way forward if you are truly committed to peace,” he said.
He warned TPLF leaders against returning to the kind of rhetoric and militarization that fueled the previous war. “You went to war before, and what did it bring? Only destruction, only loss,” he said. “Now is not the time to boast in the media. Now is the time to choose peace.”
The Field Marshal’s speech comes two weeks after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed hinted at possible renewed conflict in the Tigray region if tensions remain unresolved. The Prime Minister had previously warned that peace would only be sustainable if all parties remained faithful to the commitments made during the Pretoria negotiations.
The Pretoria Agreement marked a turning point in the devastating two-year civil war that claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions. It called for a permanent cessation of hostilities and mandated the disarmament of the TPLF’s heavy military assets.
In return, the federal government pledged to restore basic services and support reconstruction efforts in the war-torn Tigray region.
While the initial implementation of the agreement was hailed as a breakthrough, recent …
