National Army Arrest 7 TPLF Officials including Abay Woldu, Abraham Tekeste

ADDIS ABEBA – Seven more senior officials of the former ruling party of the northern region of Tigray have been arrested, a top official the national army announced on Sunday.

The region’s former governor, Abay Woldu, and vice governor, Abraham Tekese (PhD), are among those arrested during the military operation over the weekend, according to Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew, head of Deployment Department of the Ethiopian National Defence Force.

The other regional officials arrested on Sunday are former auditor bureau chief, Redai Berhie; Statistics Bureau head, Mulugeta Yirga; former religious affairs head, Ekubay Berhie; former social affairs bureau head, Kiros Hagos; and former head of the region’s president office as well as security affairs, Getachew Teferi.

Many more senior military officers who defected from the defense force to fight alongside the TPLF forces have been arrested, according to the Brigadier general.

Brigadier General Tesfaye Ayalew also said security measures were taken against fifteen others after refusing to surrender.

Among those who were killed in Sunday’s operation include Major General Ibrahim Abduljelil, who previously was in charge of national defence force’s logistic and, later, joined TPLF forces to lead their logistic wing.

The latest announcement about those killed and captured comes after the military said on Friday that it had captured Sebhat Nega, a founding member of the TPLF.

He was transported to the capital Addis Ababa on Saturday.

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Featured Image: Abraham, seen in a file photo, also served as finance minister of Ethiopia.