Welkait (also spelled Wolkait or Wolqayt; is a woreda which was historically part of the northern Amhara region of Gonder in Ethiopia. Following the fall of the communist Derg regime and ascension to power of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), the region was unilaterally annexed into the Tigray Region in Ethiopia by the TPLF. It is believed this annexation was for geopolitical purposes with the primary goal of obtaining a direct border with Sudan. The TPLF also annexed areas from the other regions in the country for similar purposes. Efforts to integrate Welkait into Tigray were widespread and systematic, including the expulsion and intimidation of the majority Amhara population and the re-naming of cities, rivers, lakes, mountains, springs, etc from their original Amharic to Tigr