The new caretaker administration of the Tigray region appointed after the House of Federation had decided to dissolve the regional government following the start of the armed conflict on November 4, has officially taken office.

The administration that placed a provisional leadership in the town of Shire Endasilassie last week has now started operating from regional capital Mekelle. The interim administration’s head, Mulu Nega said preparations have been made for government offices and businesses to start operating in Tigray that has been closed for more than a month due to the military conflict, according to the Ethiopian News Agency.

Mulu called on the government employees who had ceased work for weeks to resume on Monday, and those who do not return to work are considered to have quit voluntarily.

Businesses in the region should also resume their normal activities, he said, adding that the interim administration would take action against businesses that did not do so.

The interim administration has also asked people to submit their arms to authorities by Tuesday. “Any individual found to be in possession of firearms after Tuesday will be held accountable by law,” Mulu Nega said. Upon expiry period of grace for the voluntary handover of weapons, security forces would carry out a door-to-door search as they may deem necessary for the discovery and retrieval of weapons, he said.

Electricity and telephone services were restored in Mekelle and other parts of the region after a virtual communications blackout since the launch of the military operation. Mobile voice services in Mekelle and other towns, Maychew, Dansha, Humera, Maikadra, Turkan, Maytsebri, Korem, and Alamata, had been restored.