Young people in Ethiopia's Tigré flee forced recruitment by rebels

Young people in Ethiopia's northern Tigré region are desperately trying to evade forced recruitment by rebel authorities, fearing a renewed conflict with the federal government. In recent weeks, hundreds of youths have gone into hiding or fled their homes as the Tigré People's Liberation Front (TPLF) intensified its conscription efforts.

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I decided to come here after seeing how they were recruiting young men for military service in the city. I never thought this would happen to me in my life.

Binam Hadera, an English teacher from Axum, recounted his decision to relocate to Addis Ababa after witnessing the forced enlistment of young men. "I never thought this would happen to me in my life," the 38-year-old told EFE. In Mekele, the regional capital, a vocational training employee spoke anonymously, describing how masked security agents apprehended his 23-year-old brother and other youths, taking them to military training camps. "What they are doing is unjust," he stated. "Young people have the right to decide their future for themselves, not by those in power."

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What they are doing is unjust (...). Young people have the right to decide their future for themselves, not by those in power.

The fear has visibly altered daily life in Mekele, with streets emptying after dark and businesses closing early. "It is very strange to see the streets of Mekele with so few people. All the shops close before six in the evening," confirmed Helen, a shop owner who only gave her first name for security reasons. A video circulating on social media on July 3 showed young men being forcibly placed onto buses, accompanied by the cries of their relatives.

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It is very strange to see the streets of Mekele with so few people. All the shops close before six in the evening.

Letebraham Tesfay, a resident of Adigrat, shared her harrowing experience of being mistreated and briefly detained for hiding her son. Her son had previously been injured during the 2020-2022 war that ravaged the region, causing an estimated 600,000 deaths. "I don't want my son to die," the mother pleaded. Meanwhile, Getachew Reda, an advisor to Ethiopia's prime minister, accused TPLF leaders on social media of attempting "another massacre" of young people. Both the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have condemned the recruitment law, which reportedly carries the death penalty for certain offenses and lengthy prison sentences for resistance.

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They came to my house and asked where my son was. I told them he had left the village. Then they arrested me, imprisoned me and released me two days later. I don't want my son to die.