Mekelle — The Tigray Forces unit known as "Army 22" has apologized to the public for blocking roads and disrupting transportation during last week's protest in Mekelle, acknowledging that while their grievances were legitimate, the manner of their demonstration was inappropriate.
During a meeting held on Sunday at the Tigray Martyrs Monument Hall, corps and division leaders, along with members of the TDF, reviewed the circumstances surrounding the protest. Participants agreed that although the soldiers' concerns were justified, the actions taken endangered both the army and the civilian population.
In a formal statement, members of Army 22 expressed regret for the disruption and harassment caused during the protest, pledging that such incidents would not recur.
Army 22 Commander Gebreselassie Belay admitted that the road blockades were improper and emphasized that the army must not obstruct roads or interfere with civilians' daily lives. He explained that one of the main grievances raised during the protest was the lack of clear guidelines governing benefits and welfare for army personnel.
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Commander Gebreselassie added that the Tigray Interim Administration Cabinet has since approved a budget to address food and other benefits for members of the Tigray army, with internal discussions on implementation expected to take place soon.
The latest protests by members of the Tigray forces demanding better pay and benefits lasted for five days and resulted in major roads across the region, including the Mekelle-Wukro-Adigrat and Mekelle-Alamata routes, being blocked.
The demonstrations took place despite appeals from the President of the Tigray Interim Administration, Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, who addressed the soldiers directly and issued a public statement urging calm.
Following an emergency Cabinet meeting last week, the Interim Administration announced that it had finalized a study on the rights and benefits of Tigray Security Forces and directed relevant authorities to issue implementing directives. "The Cabinet... unanimously decided to direct the relevant authority to issue implementing directives to enable the proposed draft regulation to be implemented," the administration said in a statement on Wednesday 15 October.
As of publication, no other army unit has issued a statement regarding the protests, and Addis Standard confirms that all main roads in Tigray remain open.
