General Tadesse Werede escapes TPLF captivity

General Tadesse Werede, the former president of the Tigray Interim Administration, told the BBC that he had escaped from TPLF captivity after being held for 15 days. He explained that after being taken from Mekelle to Aksum and then to the border town of Rama, he feared he would be handed over to Eritrea. The General detailed how, with the assistance of the Rama district administrator and others who opposed the transfer, he and other senior officials were able to deceive those who came to move them and were transported by car to Dairo Takli, where they surrendered to the Ethiopian National Defense Force.

The General credited his escape to internal divisions within the TPLF and the support of local officials who did not agree with the transfer to Eritrea. General Tadesse strongly rejected recent social media accusations claiming he helped strengthen Tigrayan forces during his tenure. He noted that after the TPLF took control of the region, he was kept under house arrest and felt constant pressure due to the tensions between the TPLF and the federal government.