Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
Tadesse Worede presidency of Tigray Day 73 Strategic Monitoring and Accountability Document, fully optimized for publication under Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review (HAGR) and The Tigray Herald Editorial Board. This version enhances the strategic tone, narrative cohesion, legal clarity, and international relevance.
Strategic Monitoring and Accountability Series
Day 73 – June 19, 2025
The Militarization of Betrayal: Day 73 of Tadesse Worede’s Criminal Presidency and the Hijacking of Tigray’s Martyrs’ Legacy
Prepared by:
Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review (HAGR) In collaboration with The Tigray Herald Editorial Board With input from leading regional and international political, legal, and security experts
Narrative Framing
Martyrs’ Memory Desecrated by a Rogue Command Elite On the 37th Martyrs’ Day once a sacred moment of national mourning and unity Tigray witnessed a grotesque appropriation of collective grief. In Aksum, General Tadesse Worede, joined by controversial warlords General Megebe Haile and General Mahsho Beyene, orchestrated a militarized spectacle, not to honor the fallen, but to consolidate impunity. These commanders, remnants of the discredited “Above the Core, Above the Law” TPLF military elite, exploited this historic commemoration to parade their dominance while sidelining veterans, suppressing public voices, and glorifying authoritarian control. The irony is harrowing: the very individuals who abandoned Tigray’s fighters now present themselves as its protectors plotting new conflicts while denying justice. Most alarmingly, verified reports confirm that forces aligned with Tadesse opened fire on Afar civilians in a calculated provocation, disguised as a “counter-insurgency” operation targeting the Tigray Peace Force (TPF) a reformist force resisting the unholy alliance between rogue TPLF remnants and the Eritrean regime. This act may signal the emergence of a new and dangerous axis of militarized subversion and regional destabilization.
Executive Summary
Day 73 reflects the consolidation of a rogue authoritarian command within Tigray’s political-military space. What began as a transitional leadership mandate has descended into a parallel regime defined by:
Illegitimate power consolidation
Militarized suppression of reformers and civil society
Widespread criminal economic extraction
Erosion of the Pretoria Agreement
Betrayal of the martyrs’ legacy
The civilian state is rapidly unraveling under the shadow of an unaccountable military oligarchy.
Section I: Key Developments on Day 73
- Martyrs’ Day Politicized and Militarized
The 37th Martyrs’ Day was transformed into a political theater of military propaganda. Survivors and families were excluded; dissent was silenced; justice was mocked.
2. Neglect and Deaths of Veterans and IDPs Dozens of wounded veterans remain abandoned in displacement camps across Adwa, Shire, and Wukro. Many have died from preventable infections and starvation while TDF elites enrich themselves.
3. Deployment of Unauthorized Battalions Military units loyal to Tadesse were deployed to the peaceful southern Tigray zone without approval from the zonal civilian administration undermining constitutional governance and exposing deep internal fractures.
4. Ethnic Provocation in Afar Rogue elements opened fire on Afar civilians, targeting youth leaders. The attack appears intended to inflame inter-ethnic tensions and derail post-war reconciliation.
5. Emergence of Shadow Governance Leaked intelligence reveals the existence of an unofficial “ghost cabinet” composed of generals and power brokers loyal to Tadesse. This parallel governance structure bypasses both the Interim Government and legitimate institutional checks.
Section II: Strategic Threat Assessment
Threat Category Description
Collapse of Civil Governance Civilian institutions are overridden by an unaccountable military hierarchy.
Ethnic Destabilization Provocations in Afar and elsewhere risk triggering regional ethnic conflict. Looting of National Wealth Systematic extraction of gold, land, and public assets by elite networks. Authoritarian Repression civilians. Diplomatic Breakdown violations. Arbitrary arrests, surveillance, and harassment of reformers and The Pretoria Peace Agreement is at risk due to repeated
Section III: Criminal Complicity and Governance Breakdown
Urban Land Theft
Evictions in Mekelle, Shire, Axum, and Adwa are being executed under the pretext of “strategic redevelopment.” Beneficiaries include shell companies tied to senior commanders.
Illegal Gold Smuggling Networks
Military officials are orchestrating illegal extraction and smuggling of gold from Adi Daero, Sheraro, Tembien, and Adyet. Proceeds are funneled into offshore accounts through illicit financial channels.
Suppression of Oversight Bodies
At least three regional prosecutors investigating extrajudicial executions have been forcibly removed or exiled. The Auditor General has been denied access to key records of TDF procurement and expenditures.
Surveillance Against Reformists
An unregulated TDF-linked intelligence unit is monitoring diaspora figures, local journalists, and moderate generals reportedly with coordination from Eritrean security services aiming to derail the reform agenda.
Section IV: National and Diplomatic Implications
Pretoria Agreement in Jeopardy
Regional and international stakeholders (AU, IGAD, EU) increasingly consider Tadesse’s faction a major obstacle to implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
Aid Framework Under Scrutiny
USAID and the EU Commission are reviewing humanitarian aid frameworks due to obstruction, politicization, and misuse by rogue TDF actors.
Eritrean Regime’s Expanding Influence
The Eritrean regime is deepening ties with rogue TPLF commanders to sabotage transitional progress and destabilize Tigray’s recovery. Loss of Diplomatic Credibility The silence of Tigray’s civilian leadership is eroding diplomatic confidence among key allies, including the U.S., Germany, Norway, and the UK.
Section V: Strategic Recommendations Day 73
- Immediate Suspension and Investigation of Tadesse Worede
A neutral, independent legal commission must assess the legality of his actions and suspend all executive military powers.
- Public Audit of Land and Mining Contracts
All deals signed post-January 2023 must be disclosed, audited, and subjected to civil review mechanisms.
- Civilian Protection Framework
Deploy trained observers and create protection mechanisms for whistleblowers, IDPs, and reform advocates.
- Regional Truth and Accountability Commission
Comprised of respected clergy, legal experts, and civil society leaders, this body must investigate systemic abuses and corruption.
- International Diplomatic Pressure
A crisis delegation should urgently engage Pretoria Agreement guarantors with documented evidence of sabotage, requesting sanctions and accountability.
- TDF Command Reform Process
A full vetting and lustration mechanism is necessary to remove criminal and anti-reform elements from the TDF hierarchy.
- Martyrs’ Legacy Justice Initiative
Launch a civil-led program to honor martyrs, restore veteran dignity, and deliver long-denied justice.
- Formation of a Tigray National Coalition Alliance
Create a broad-based civilian coalition to neutralize outlawed TPLF military factions and initiate political realignment.
- Strengthen Transitional Legal Institutions
Empower the Tigray Interim Assembly Council with full constitutional authority to prosecute crimes and lead transitional justice efforts.
Tomorrow’s Preview – Day 74
Title: “An Army Turned Against Its Own: How the Legacy of Sacrifice Is Being Betrayed by a Criminal Command Elite”
Document Classification Circulation: HAGR Strategic & Diplomatic Network Only Confidentiality Level: III – High-Risk Leadership Crisis Briefing
Prepared For:
HAGR Intelligence Network
Legal and Transitional Justice Advisory Teams
Office of the Tigray Interim President (Restricted Access)
Tigrayan Civil Society and International Development Partners
