Ethiopia removes terrorist designation from dominant Tigray party

Ethiopia's parliament on Wednesday removed the dominant party in the Tigray region from a list of terrorist organisations, a major step toward establishing an interim regional government following the end of a two-year civil war. The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which led the northern region into war with the federal government in late 2020, was designated a terrorist group in May 2021.

Ethiopia's parliament on Wednesday removed the dominant party in the Tigray region from a list of terrorist organisations, a major step toward establishing an interim regional government following the end of a two-year civil war.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which led the northern region into war with the federal government in late 2020, was designated a terrorist group in May 2021. The conflict ended with a truce last November after tens of thousands of people were killed and millions forced from their homes.

Ethiopia's parliament said in a statement that it had approved the delisting with the majority of lawmakers supporting the decision. The delisting is a prerequisite to the TPLF's participation in an interim government, which the party

nominated its spokesman, Getachew Reda, last week to lead.

Getachew did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.