Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
Poison Within: Unmasking the Cronyism, Crimes, and Genocidal Core of the TPLF-Affiliated Military Leadership Threatening Tigray’s Survival
Subtitle:
A Strategic Investigative Brief on Systemic Atrocities, Corruption, and Nepotism Within the TDF’s TPLF-Linked Command Structure
Prepared by:
Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review (HAGR)
In collaboration with regional and international security and intelligence experts
Executive Summary
Tigray’s survival is now threatened not only by external adversaries but by a malignant internal force: a faction within the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) intimately tied to the failed Debretsion Gebremichael-led TPLF splinter group. This clique has entrenched a culture of cronyism, corruption, and nepotism within the TDF’s command structure, dismantling the institution’s once-principled legacy of patriotic resistance.
This strategic investigative report—bolstered by the testimony of exiled former military intelligence officer, Tegadalay Berhanu Kidanu—reveals targeted assassinations, poisonings, and an orchestrated purge of ethical commanders. Among the casualties is Dr. Solomon Gebere, a moral figure assassinated for opposing corruption and smuggling.
The findings expose a crisis of national survival and demand immediate, unified action across Tigray’s political and civil spectrum.
I. Background: From Resistance Force to Politicized Apparatus
The TDF was once the embodiment of Tigrayan resilience—defenders against genocide and protectors of national dignity. However, in the post-war vacuum, a faction loyal to the Debretsion-led TPLF has infiltrated the upper ranks of the TDF, transforming it into a politicized militia serving narrow interests.
This faction, integrated into corps and army-level leadership, is directly tied to TPLF’s central committee, compromising military neutrality and national unity.
II. Crimes and Abuses by the TPLF-Linked Military Command
A. Political Assassinations and Internal Purges
Coordinated killings of principled officers who challenged corruption and illegality.
Documented poisoning attempts, including the failed assassination of whistleblower Berhanu Kidanu.
The murder of Dr. Solomon Gebere, a physician and reform advocate, who stood against smuggling operations.
B. Cronyism and Institutional Decay
Promotion of officers based on loyalty to the Debretsion faction, rather than merit or battlefield integrity.
Systemic marginalization of independent-minded, professional TDF members.
Emergence of two factions within the TDF:
Pro-Tigrayan National Interest Bloc: Advocates justice, unity, and institutional accountability.
TPLF Crony Faction: Defends failed political elites, conceals war crimes, and enables economic looting.
C. Economic Sabotage and Resource Exploitation
Smuggling of gold, arms, and international aid by TPLF-linked generals and their networks.
Collaboration with black-market operators profiting from Tigray’s post-war instability.
III. Strategic Warnings: A Ticking Bomb Within Tigray
This criminalized military core risks igniting a homegrown genocide and full-blown civil war.
Public trust in the TDF is rapidly eroding, weakening post-war recovery and Tigray’s international standing.
If unchallenged, this faction will sabotage national reconstruction, enabling foreign manipulation and internal collapse.
IV. Whistleblower Testimony: Tegadalay Berhanu Kidanu
Berhanu Kidanu, a decorated former intelligence officer, now in exile, has courageously exposed the internal rot. Surviving an assassination attempt, he has revealed a hidden web of criminal coordination involving senior TDF and political figures.
His testimony, supported by classified documents and eyewitness accounts, is a call to action for every Tigrayan committed to justice and survival.
V. Recommendations and National Call to Action
A. Urgent Reforms and Legal Action
- Establish an Independent Military Investigation Tribunal
Comprised of civilian, religious, legal, and community leaders.
Entirely free from TPLF political and military interference.
- International Documentation and Prosecution
Submit case files to the African Union, United Nations, and international criminal bodies.
Document evidence of internal assassinations, war crimes, and systemic economic sabotage.
B. National Unity and Civic Mobilization
- All Tigrayans—regardless of ideology—must unite to confront and dismantle the TPLF’s criminal military faction.
- Mobilize community intelligence networks to expose and report crimes.
- Refuse to serve under unreformed, politically compromised command structures.
C. Strategic Media Engagement
Support and amplify independent investigative platforms exposing these crimes. Recommended outlets include:
Orya Media
UMD Media
Axumawian Media Network
Tefetawi Talkshow (ተፈታዊ ቶክ ሾው)
Harnet Media (ሓርነት ሚድያ)
TBS TV
Tigray Herald
Conclusion
Tigray’s gravest threat today comes not from beyond its borders, but from within. A once-revered TDF has been hijacked by a corrupt faction serving political decay and criminal enterprise. The people of Tigray must now choose: submission to silence, or collective resistance for justice.
This is the moment to reclaim the moral high ground, to honor our martyrs not just in name, but in action. The time has come to cleanse our institutions, restore military professionalism, and rebuild our nation on the foundations of justice, merit, and integrity.
