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Tigray official urges rebels to disarm as commander pledges to reverse setbacks

A caretaker administration official urged disarmament after government-allied forces entered Mekelle on Oct. 4.

Updated Oct 23, 2026 · 20:14 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • After government-allied fighters entered Mekelle on Oct. 4, an administration official urged rebels to lay down weapons.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • Rebel army commander Lt. Gen. Fisseha Kidanu pledged to reverse recent setbacks and urged attacks on government-held positions.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the TPLF of acquiring weapons and forcibly recruiting youths instead of disarming.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • Two wounded men said a drone strike in Finariwa killed four civilians and wounded about six.[Associated Press · ABC News]

Key facts

  • Government-allied fighters entered Mekelle on Oct. 4 after the TPLF withdrew.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • An official in Tigray's federal-backed caretaker administration urged rebel fighters to lay down their weapons on Friday.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • Lt. Gen. Fisseha Kidanu, identified as Tigray army commander, pledged to reverse recent military setbacks and urged attacks on government-held positions.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the TPLF of acquiring weapons and forcibly recruiting young people instead of disarming under the November 2022 Pretoria agreement.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • Two wounded men said a drone strike in Finariwa killed four civilians and wounded about six people.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • The TPLF has claimed heavy losses among government forces, and the Associated Press could not independently verify those claims.[Associated Press · ABC News]

What remains uncertain

  • The Finariwa casualty figures rest on the accounts of two wounded men and are not established beyond those accounts.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • The TPLF's claimed heavy losses to government forces remain unverified.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • The party responsible for the Finariwa strike is not identified in the cited claims.[Associated Press · ABC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.