Former Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA) President Lieutenant General Tadesse Worede had, until Tuesday, been residing in a heavily guarded compound located a few blocks from Nurr Mosque in Mekelle’s Adi Hawsi district, southeast of Alula Hospital. UMD Media sources say he was routinely seen leaving the compound in the mornings and returning before, or sometimes well after, midnight under the escort of two patrol vehicles. Around the clock, armed soldiers and patrols were stationed at different points surrounding the three houses occupied by Tadesse, his staff, and his security personnel.
According to witnesses who spoke to UMD Media, the last time this security arrangement was observed was on Tuesday morning. Since Tuesday evening, however, the patrol vehicles and soldiers have disappeared. Witnesses also said that Tadesse’s staff and security personnel are no longer in the area, and Tadesse himself, who was occasionally seen outside the gate of his residence, sometimes smoking, has not been seen since.
The development comes amid growing concern over Tadesse’s whereabouts. As previously reported by the BBC, members of his family expressed concern for his well-being after he was reportedly prevented from meeting visiting U.S. Ambassador Ervin Massinga on July 15 by the VIP Security Office of the Tigray Bureau of Peace and Security, headed by General Fisseha Kidanu, also known as Fisseha Manjus, who served in the same position under Tadesse’s presidency.
Tadesse Worede was removed from the presidency by the TPLF on May 8, 2026, less than two weeks after he had been reappointed to the position by the federal government under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The political developments that followed his removal, including the evolving relationship and apparent tensions between the TPLF leadership and the federal government, have remained a subject of significant controversy and speculation within Tigray.
Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Ervin Massinga is expected to return to Mekelle today or tomorrow as a follow-up to his visit last week, adding further attention to the unfolding developments surrounding the former interim president.
In the days leading up to his removal, on April 21 and 22, Tadesse Worede publicly rejected calls for his resignation and warned against any attempt to overthrow the TIRA by force. He argued that political disputes should be resolved through the framework of the Pretoria Agreement and constitutional processes rather than through unilateral actions, cautioning that any attempt to seize power outside those mechanisms would undermine stability in Tigray and risk renewed conflict.
Originally published on UMD Media Facebook on 2026-07-23T11:30:00-06:00. Source: https://www.facebook.com/getachew.UMDMedia