Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London
Tigray’s Flashpoint: The Below-Core Uprising Engulfs the Old Guard
By Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review
Framing Narrative: The Crumbling Fortress
The twilight has descended on Tigray’s old power order.
For months, murmurs of discontent had traveled quietly through the barracks and bases of the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF). Now, those whispers have erupted into open defiance. The disciplined, reform-minded Below-Core generation — soldiers shaped by the genocide’s aftermath and committed to restoring integrity to Tigray’s cause — have risen against the entrenched corruption and betrayal of the Above-Core warlord network.
Tonight, the fortress of fear and manipulation built by the TPLF’s old guard is collapsing.
At the heart of this dramatic confrontation stands General Megebe Haile, a figure long seen as the embodiment of the Above-Core’s criminal enterprise — linked to illegal gold mining, internal repression, and the covert network that profited while Tigray bled.
The rebellion that once simmered beneath the surface has now exploded into an unstoppable internal reckoning.
Inner Narrative: The Confrontation in the Shadows
Multiple independent field sources confirm that General Megebe Haile has been surrounded by angry TDF Below-Core members in central Tigray. The confrontation erupted after weeks of rising frustration over the general’s illicit mining operations and his continued influence within the discredited Above-Core hierarchy.
According to on-the-ground accounts, Megebe attempted to flee toward Tembien — the historic mountain stronghold and traditional refuge of the TPLF’s old leadership. However, his convoy reportedly encountered organized Below-Core resistance, with young soldiers blocking escape routes and demanding his immediate accountability.
Eyewitnesses describe a charged, almost symbolic moment — a generational clash decades in the making.
“The young soldiers shouted that Megebe and his group sold Tigray’s blood for gold,” said one witness near the scene. “He looked terrified, his bodyguards confused. He knew his time had run out.”
Unverified reports suggest that Megebe is trapped and under informal arrest, pending a broader move by emerging reformist officers to establish a Tigray Transitional Military Council — a mechanism designed to stabilize the internal crisis and prevent Above-Core remnants from regrouping.
Background: The Collapse of the Above-Core–PFDJ Death Alliance
For years, Tigrayans have spoken in hushed tones about the “death alliance” — a covert arrangement between TPLF’s Above-Core generals and Eritrea’s PFDJ intelligence apparatus. This shadow pact, rooted in personal greed and survival, enriched a select few while sabotaging Tigray’s struggle for justice and reconstruction.
That alliance is now imploding.
As Below-Core forces assert control, panic grips the remaining warlords. Intelligence sources confirm that several of the most notorious Above-Core commanders have abandoned their posts and gone into hiding, fearing arrest or internal purges.
In Mekelle, the atmosphere is tense yet defiant. Across military installations and youth networks, spontaneous gatherings chant for “justice, reform, and the rebirth of Tigray.” The uprising has spread like wildfire, uniting disillusioned officers, veterans, and civilians who believe the time has come to end the internal occupation imposed by TPLF’s decayed leadership class.
Analytical Frame: The Turning Point
This uprising represents a decisive rupture in Tigray’s modern political history — a moment when the post-genocide generation has openly rejected the moral and political authority of the warlord elite.
The Below-Core movement is not a coup. It is the natural evolution of a society reclaiming its dignity and redefining its future.
Forged in the crucible of genocide and hardship, these young commanders demand a new moral order — one rooted in accountability, unity, professionalism, and the end of political militarization.
If confirmed, the capture or neutralization of General Megebe Haile will mark the symbolic collapse of the final protective wall surrounding the TPLF’s criminal legacy.
The psychological consequences for the remaining Above-Core–PFDJ collaborators are immense — shattering decades of fear-based command and exposing the decayed architecture that once held Tigray hostage.
Analysts warn, however, that this transformative moment could also trigger short-term instability as remnants of the old guard attempt to regroup or sow chaos to protect their illicit networks. The coming days will determine whether Tigray transitions toward internal reform or slides into further fragmentation.
Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review Official Statement
“The Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review continues to monitor the unfolding situation inside Tigray through its network of independent field sources and military analysts.
The spontaneous uprising of the Below-Core forces marks an historic inflection point — the moment Tigray begins its internal liberation from corruption, fear, and betrayal.
This movement, driven by moral conviction rather than political ambition, could redefine not only Tigray’s destiny but also the balance of power in the Horn of Africa.”
Breaking Summary (HAGR Situation Desk Highlights)
- BREAKING: TDF Below-Core forces surround General Megebe Haile amid unprecedented anti-Above-Core demonstrations across Tigray.
- ESCAPE BLOCKED: Megebe’s convoy intercepted en route to Tembien, the former TPLF leadership’s traditional hiding zone.
- PANIC IN MEKELLE: Several senior Above-Core generals in hiding as Below-Core officers mobilize to restore order.
- DEATH ALLIANCE COLLAPSES: The TPLF–PFDJ intelligence partnership faces total disintegration amid internal rebellion.
- HAGR ANALYSIS: “This is the day Tigray’s internal revolution began — the fall of the old warlords and the rise of a new moral command.”
