Tigray Defense Forces

Tigray Defense Forces
ሓይልታት ምክልኻል ትግራይ
ሰራዊት ትግራይ
Mottoዘይንድይቦ ጎቦ
There are no mountains we would not climb[citation needed]
Founded4 November 2020; 4 years ago (2020-11-04)[1][2][3]
HeadquartersMekelle, Tigray Region
Leadership
PresidentDebretsion Gebremichael
Commander-in-chiefLieutenant Gen Tadesse Werede Tesfay
Member of central commandLieutenant General Tsadkan Gebretensae
SpokespersonColonel Gebre Gebretsadik
Personnel
Active personnel<10,000[4][5]–250,000[6] (est. Nov. 2020)
Related articles
HistoryTigray War
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The Tigray Defense Forces (TDF; Tigrinya: ሓይልታት ምክልኻል ትግራይ), colloquially called the Tigray Army (ሰራዊት ትግራይ), is a paramilitary group located in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. It was founded by former generals of the Ethiopian Military in 2020 to combat federal forces enforcing national government mandates in the Tigray region, culminating in 2020 with the outbreak of the Tigray War.[7] The TDF has made use of guerilla tactics and strategies.[8][9] Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have reported that the TDF has committed war crimes against civilians including gang rape and extrajudicial killing during their occupation of both the Afar and Amhara regions.[10][11] According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice, TDF combatants have been found liable for upwards of 540 civilians casualties. as of 28 December 2021[needs update].[12]

Territory controlled by the Tigray Defense Forces (dark green), inside of the Tigray Region (light green), as of 13 October 2022 [needs update]
  1. ^ "Tigray Communication Affairs Bureau Press Release on Facebook, Central Command Spokesperson Getachew Reda". Facebook. 14 November 2020.[self-published source]
  2. ^ "Tigray Communication Affairs Bureau Press Release on Facebook, Tigray Defense Forces spokesperson Gebre Gebretsadkan". Facebook. 19 November 2020.[self-published source]
  3. ^ "Central Command Spokesperson Getachew Reda Interview With Dimtsi Weyane Television". YouTube. 14 November 2020.
  4. ^ Tghat, 7 June 2021, General Tsadekan Gebretensae Exclusive Interview With Dimtsi Weyane Tigray, Broadcast on May 29, 2021
  5. ^ Dimtsi Weyane, 18 June 2021, ምስ ኣዛዚ ሰራዊት ትግራይ ተጋዳላይ ታደሰ ወረደ (ወዲ ወረደ) ዝተገበረ ቃለ መሕትት[self-published source]
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fick was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Ethiopia is fighting 'difficult and tiresome' guerrilla war in Tigray, says PM". The Guardian. 4 April 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. ^ Plaut, Martin (8 January 2021). "Eritrea in the Tigray war: What we know and why it might backfire". African Arguments. The Royal African Society. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Tigray Defense Forces Resist Ethiopian Army Offensive as Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethnic Militias Enter the Fray". Jamestown. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Ethiopia: Survivors of TPLF attack in Amhara describe gang rape, looting and physical assaults". Amnesty International. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Ethiopia: Tigray Forces Summarily Execute Civilians". Human Rights Watch. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  12. ^ "In Ethiopia war, new abuse charges put focus on Tigrayan former rulers". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2022.