Ethiopia appointed Tadesse Worede as interim president of the Tigray region in a bid to diffuse tensions in the restive northern province.

Tadesse, previously deputy president of Tigray, is aligned with a dissident faction of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front that had threatened to overthrow Getachew Reda, who’s been in charge of Tigray since 2022.

The splinter group, led by Debretsion Gebremichael, has taken control of several cities in Tigray including the regional capital, Mekelle, and another close to the border with Eritrea. The breakaway faction has been accused by rivals of seeking an alliance with the neighbouring state.

Tadesse has a “clear understanding of both the strengths and shortcomings of the previous administration, and many believe he is well-positioned to guide Tigray through this critical transition,” Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in a post on X announcing the appointment.