Former Tigray fighters queue to sign up for civilian life
Hundreds of ex-combatants have registered in Mekelle for a disarmament and reintegration programme set out in the 2022 Pretoria peace deal.
Taiwo Banjoko
Mekelle — Hundreds of former fighters in Ethiopia's Tigray region have been registering for a programme to help them return to civilian life, Africanews reports.
Since Wednesday, ex-combatants have been lining up at the Tigray Martyrs' Memorial Monument in Mekelle, the regional capital, to join the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme, which is part of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement.
The background
- The registration began barely two weeks after federal forces retook Mekelle from Tigrayan rebels.
- Fighting that broke out last month broke the 2022 agreement, which had ended a two-year civil war but left lingering discontent.
- On Friday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed named a caretaker administration for Tigray. It has pledged to restore public services, help displaced people go home and prepare for elections within six months.
Source: Africanews, with AFP, 17 October 2026.
