Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — June 9, 2026 | Horn News Hub
The National Congress of Great Tigray, known as National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona), has issued a statement condemning what it describes as the alleged forced recruitment and transfer of Tigrayan youth into the ongoing civil war in Sudan.
In the statement released on Monday, Baytona said it had received information suggesting that young people from Tigray were being moved into Sudan’s conflict zones against their will. It accused an unspecified faction within the TPLF of facilitating the process, describing the practice as exploitation of vulnerable youth for political and financial purposes.
The group said Tigrayan youth should not be involved in a foreign conflict that has no direct political or moral link to the people of Tigray. It characterized any such recruitment as a serious violation of human dignity, particularly given the region’s recent history of war, displacement, and humanitarian hardship.
Baytona also called for an immediate end to what it described as organized recruitment and deployment efforts, urging accountability for individuals or networks allegedly involved. It appealed to community leaders, civil society groups, and families in Tigray to reject any such practices and to protect young people from being drawn into external conflicts.
The statement further addressed the situation in Sudan, stressing that the people of Tigray do not hold hostility toward Sudan and are not seeking involvement in its internal conflict. It added that any Tigrayan individuals present in the conflict should not be viewed as representatives of the wider population.
Baytona called on regional and international actors to monitor the situation closely, warning that inaction could allow continued exploitation and militarization of vulnerable groups.
The statement comes amid ongoing instability in Sudan’s civil war, which has drawn in various regional actors and raised concerns about cross border movements and recruitment patterns across the Horn of Africa.
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