ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced Friday an interim administration would be established in the northern Tigray region, which has been controlled by rebels who have clashed with federal forces in recent weeks.
The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) launched a major offensive against government forces on Sept 23, before being pushed back and losing control of its strongholds, including the regional capital.
The region had been outside of Addis Ababa's control and did not participate in June federal elections, which were resoundingly won by Abiy's Prosperity Party.
The federal government caretaker administration, which aims to create "a stable political situation so that free and transparent elections can be held", will administer Tigray for the next six months, Abiy's office said on social media following a cabinet decision.
The TPLF leadership "did not desire peace", it said, instead initiating the latest "devastating war".
The region fought a 2020-22 war against federal forces -- supported by Eritrean troops -- which left an estimated 600,000 dead before a 2022 peace deal ended the fighting but provoked lingering discontent over the terms.
"In order for the people of Tigray to enjoy the peace that has eluded them, to ensure their right to self-governance, and to enjoy the benefits of development they have been deprived of for several years, they must break free from the cycle of conflict," the statement said.
In late September, the TPLF formed an uneasy alliance with several disparate armed groups opposed to the government.
The group has also moved closer to neighbouring Eritrea, long at odds with Ethiopia.