Tigray Forces’ Protests Enter Third Day

Ethiomonitor -Addis Ababa 

October  15, 2025

Protests by members of the Tigray forces, demanding enhanced pay and benefits, have now entered a third consecutive day, with key roads across the region remaining blocked despite efforts by regional leadership to de-escalate tensions.
As of Wednesday, road closures have extended beyond the Mekelle–Wukro–Adigrat corridor, with demonstrators also obstructing the Mekelle–Alamata route.
These ongoing demonstrations persist despite direct addresses from Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, President of the Tigray Interim Administration, both in person and via public statements.
In a recent announcement, Office of the President-Tigray revealed that the Cabinet of the Tigray Interim Administration convened an emergency meeting to deliberate on the “rights and benefits of the Tigray Security Forces.”
“The rights and benefits issue, which I presented and discussed today, October 15, 2025, has been under review since last year, and the committee established for this purpose has completed its study,” the statement read.
The Cabinet, according to the statement, has thoroughly discussed these rights and benefits in response to the President’s request and has unanimously decided to direct the relevant authorities to issue implementing directives for the proposed draft regulation.
Despite these efforts, the President’s remarks and the Cabinet’s decision have yet to alleviate the prevailing discontent among the forces.
In Agula, approximately 35 kilometers northeast of Mekelle, protesting fighters expressed dissatisfaction over unfulfilled promises and deteriorating living conditions.
One fighter remarked, “They promised a raise. But we don’t even receive this month’s salary.” Another added, “They want us to be here, to give our lives for the population. But our families live in rented houses. Once we die, they will be homeless. We want land for our families to live decently after us.”
As of now, the Mekelle–Wukro–Adigrat and Mekelle–Alamata roads remain closed as protests continue into their third day. Efforts to obtain further comments from regional officials regarding the implementation timeline of the Cabinet’s decision have been unsuccessful at this time.