TPLF Urges AU To Safeguard Pretoria Peace Deal, Says Federal Troops Mobilizing To Tigray

While Ethiopia hosts the 35th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) calls for the African Union to safeguard the Pretoria peace agreement and ensure its full implementation, as its chairman tells local media that federal forces are mobilizing toward Tigray.

In an open letter issued on February 12, 2026, TPLF said the situation in Tigray and the broader Ethiopian context has deteriorated despite commitments made under the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed in November 2022.

According to the statement, key provisions of the agreement remain partially implemented.

It added that the “renewed military mobilization, rising tensions, and measures restricting civilian life risk reversing progress achieved since the signing of the accord.” The letter cited restrictions on movement, economic pressure, and political exclusion as actions that undermine confidence in the peace process.

The restriction, according to the statement, increases the risk of renewed confrontation in the region.

“As the continent’s principal mediator and custodian of this agreement, the Union carries political and moral responsibility to safeguard implementation and ensure that commitments translate into protection and stability for civilians,” it reads, calling for the restoration of constitutional order and the safe return of IDPs in the region.

On the same day, TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD) told local media that federal forces are mobilizing toward Tigray. During his address, he warned that the “TPLF would not remain passive if federal troops launch an attack.”

He added that the people of Tigray have paid a price for peace for three years and described the current situation as a matter of survival.

“The people of Tigray are still in the systematic genocide where many died of hunger and starvation,” he said, citing Hitsats IDP center in Shire, where food has grown scarce. “The region is facing a new test that affects its national integrity.”

The chairman also called on the African Union to convene and facilitate structured political dialogue between the signatories of the Pretoria agreement to address political, security, and governance issues affecting the region.

Although the Pretoria agreement ended two years of fighting between federal and Tigray forces, disagreements have continued over disarmament, restoration of services, territorial administration, and political arrangements in the region.

In May 2025, federal authorities revoked the legal status of the TPLF as a political party, a decision the party rejected immediately.

Last week, hostilities in parts of Tigray led Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to Mekelle, citing security concerns. Diplomatic missions and humanitarian agencies expressed concern over rising tensions and the risk of escalation.

In a related development, reports indicate that banks have closed the accounts of several senior TPLF officials, including Amanuel Assefa, vice president of the Tigray Interim Administration.

Human Rights Watch is among those that have called for the UN secretary-general, AU leaders, and international partners attending the summit to act quickly to prevent a return to conflict in northern Ethiopia.

In a statement issued on Friday, the watchdog said the recent hostilities in Tigray are the result of widespread displacement.

“Signatories and non-signatories to the November 2022 Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement are obliged to protect civilians and prioritize the implementation of key provisions on civilian protection, aid access, access to basic services and transitional justice,” it reads.