Addis Abeba — The Tigray Interim Administration has accused the Simret Party, a new political party led by former President Getachew Reda, of carrying out an armed attack on a Tigray security unit in Mlazat, Southeastern Tigray, bordering the Afar region, which resulted in the death of a member of the Tigray Security Forces.
The Simret Party has denied the allegation as "baseless" and, in turn, accused the interim administration's peace and security office of "corruption and regional destabilization."
According to a statement released by the administration's Peace and Security Bureau, the attack took place on 30 July and claimed the life of Hailu Anday Kindeya, a member of the region's security forces. The administration claimed the assault was "orchestrated by Simret Party operatives" under the pretense of political activism.
The Bureau further alleged that Simret, while portraying itself as a solution-oriented movement, has "embarked on acts of terrorism" and is "advancing a foreign-funded agenda" under the guise of advocating for "free land." It further described the attack as part of a broader "enemy-led scheme" designed to incite infighting among Tigray's fragmented political and security forces, a scheme it said has not yet succeeded due to internal differences among such actors.
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The administration warned that continued "harassment and misguided initiatives" could compel authorities to take "self-defensive measures" against what it labeled as destructive political behavior.
Getachew Reda, responded to the accusations on X (formerly Twitter), calling them "baseless."
He accused the administration of targeting dissenters within the security forces and suppressing alternative political voices. "In any case, Simret, a party still in its infancy, has neither an army nor money," he wrote, adding that attempts to silence critics of what he termed the administration's "journey of theft and madness" would not succeed.
Tensions have been building in Tigray's political space since mid-2024, as documented in previous Addis Standard coverage. Fissures have emerged between rival factions within the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), notably between party chairman Debretsion Gebremichael and Getachew Reda, who broke ranks following his removal from the interim administration.
As the war of words between the two sides escalated, a coalition of civil society groups launched a "Peace and Dialogue Campaign" in June 2024, warning of a return to armed conflict if political actors continued to resort to provocations and militarized rhetoric.
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Adding to the region's volatility, Brig. Gen. Gebreegzabher Beyene, commander of forces operating near the Afar border, recently stated that his group had severed political ties and confirmed the formation of four divisions operating independently from the Tigray Defense Forces. These developments follow what some within the breakaway group have described as "failures" by the interim leadership to ensure security and inclusiveness.
Meanwhile, officials including Lt. Gen. Fiseha Kidanu, head of the Tigray Security Bureau, have accused federal authorities of backing militia formation in Afar and neighboring zones in a bid to stoke internal rivalries among Tigray's competing factions.
In its statement, the administration expressed "deepest respect" for the slain officer, describing Hailu Anday Kindeya as someone who "gave his life to protect the lives and property of his comrades."
