Horn News Hub | July 24, 2026
TPLF Office head Fetlework Gebregziabher has claimed that the TPLF leadership’s long-term political objective extends beyond the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the resolution of territorial disputes. According to her, the organization’s ultimate objective is to regain political power in Addis Ababa.
Fetlework also argued that the current security landscape presents a strategic advantage for the TPLF compared with previous periods of conflict. She said that, unlike the TPLF’s 17-year insurgency against the Derg government or the 2020 to 2022 war, the movement would not be confronting the federal government in isolation if another conflict were to emerge.
According to Fetlework, armed groups operating in different parts of Ethiopia have altered the country’s security dynamics, reducing the military burden that the TPLF faced during previous conflicts. She claimed that this environment creates a more favorable strategic position for the organization than in earlier wars.
The remarks come amid continued debate over the future direction of Ethiopia’s peace process following the Pretoria Agreement. If the scenario described by Fetlework were to materialize, it would represent a significant challenge to Ethiopia’s fragile peace and security environment. Any expansion of armed conflict involving multiple actors could increase humanitarian needs, disrupt economic recovery, weaken implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, and heighten security risks across the Horn of Africa.
Diplomatic observers and international partners have consistently emphasized that the durability of peace in Ethiopia depends on continued implementation of existing peace agreements, political dialogue, and constitutional processes rather than renewed armed confrontation. Given Ethiopia’s strategic importance in the Horn of Africa, developments affecting its internal stability remain of regional and international interest.
