TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael states that the Tsemdo coalition is structured and irreversible, while regional tensions mount following federal drone strikes and the emergence of an armed splinter faction
Borkena Desk
TORONTO, Canada — Debretsion Gebremichael, Chairman of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), stated on Thursday that the Tsemdo coalition formed with other political forces is irreversible.
In an interview with Weyne Media, the TPLF leader stated that the coalition was formed at a time when tensions between the federal government and Tigray are escalating.
He added that the coalition is no longer informal, noting that it has transcended previous stages and is now operating under established structures. “It has its own leaders, plans, and signed agreements,” he said.
More armed groups are expected to join the alliance, according to Debretsion. Detailed information is expected to be disclosed to the public, though he did not specify a timeline.
The Tsemdo coalition was initially composed of Eritrean and TPLF forces. More recently, Fano forces and armed groups—notably armed rebels in the Afar region—have reportedly joined the alliance.
The TPLF currently controls power in the Tigray region after removing the Tadesse Worede-led interim administration at the end of April, on the grounds that the administration’s term had ended and that the federal government could not unilaterally extend it. The Federal government claimed the extension was in accordance with the Pretoria Agreement.
Regional security dynamics have further complicated the landscape. Over the past few months, the federal government has carried out several drone strikes in multiple areas of the Tigray region. Additionally, an armed splinter group that broke away from the TPLF operates along the Afar region. Calling itself the Tigray Peace Force (TPF), the group accuses the TPLF of triggering another war in a region where peace is desperately needed. The TPF commands a significant number of fighters and is widely believed to receive support from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration.
Despite Debretsion’s assertion that the Tsemdo coalition is irreversible, the TPLF released a statement last week reiterating its commitment to peaceful dialogue with the federal government. The sole condition outlined in the statement was that former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who mediated the Pretoria Agreement, is no longer acceptable as a mediator. The TPLF stated that he lacked the necessary neutrality for the role and received direct orders from the federal government, a claim Obasanjo has denied.
Meanwhile, Fano forces have not yet commented on the statements made by the TPLF leader regarding the progress of the Tsemdo armed coalition.
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Why the name of the alliance or whatever they call it is officially termed as ‘Tsimdo’? I assume it is in the language of the upright and noble people of Tigray. How many people of that country speak Tigre language? It gives the hint which group is the dominant one. Btw, what is in the making of ‘Tsimdo’? Is it a united front, a coalition or an alliance? What is it? Just curious mind wants to know.
I asked my homeboy Debre where the name ‘Tsemdo’ originated and he told me he coined that word when he in Hong Kong on a business trip last year. He derived it from a neighborhood there Tsim Sha Tsui which is pronounced as ‘Tsemdashu-wee’. Whoa, that is brilliant, I told him. He told me he was there on vacation and stayed at one of high valued condos belonging to one of his TPLF colleagues who also has multimillion real state properties in Dubai, Addis/Finfinnee, Singapore, Europe, Nairobi and USA. He revealed to me that his now real estate mogul used to be a brigadier general in the no defunct national defense. I asked him what the monthly salary of his friend as a brigadier general and he confirmed to me that he was paid about 6,500 birr/month. That was about $110 in US dollars. So I asked him how his friend could afford to buy all these very expensive condos and townhouses with that kind of income. Debre gave me a stern warning not to ever ask such question again and that left me shaking in my boots. I don’t want him to send one of his Tsimdo running dogs from Minnesota, Toronto, Seattle, Oregon, Tennessee, Michigan, Oslo and Down Under come after me.
Hey Ittu,
You’re wrong about the Tigre language. Tigre is the first language of the entire 75 million people of Eritrea, it is also the mother tongue of the entire population of Minnesota, Toronto, London, Rome, Berlin, 35 million citizens of Tigray and 145 million citizens of Ethiopia. That means more than 1.5 billion people of the world speak Tigre. Get you numbers straight.
It is not the first time W/O Debretsion lied to the public, she told them the war is over and they have chased away the central government a few years back but she was running away with that blue glove :)
She has been diagnosed with backwardness and purposely Ignorant. She even failed to learn from Getachew Reda who used to have the same diseases.
I bet you she will be takeout on this upcoming final war with her garbage TSEMDO and possibly the main gang Esayas Afededeb will also get his ticket !!
I can’t wait until i see Ethiopia clear from cancers!!