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War in Amhara

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See also: 2023 Fano–ENDF clashes

The War in Amhara is an armed conflict in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia that began in April 2023 between the Amhara regional forces along with the Fano militia, and the Ethiopian government. The conflict began after the Ethiopian military raided the Amhara Region to disarm the Amhara Special Forces and other regional allies, which resulted in resistance of local armed forces and a series of protests in Gondar, Kobo, Sekota, Weldiya and other cities on 9 April.

War in Amhara
Part of Ethiopian civil conflict (2018–present)

Territorial control as of August 2023[a]
(For a more detailed, up-to-date, interactive map, see here).
Date9 April 2023 – present
(1 year, 7 months and 3 days)
Location
Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Status

Ongoing

Belligerents
Fano ENDF
Commanders and leaders
Unknown commanders[3] Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed
Ethiopia Sahle-Work Zewde
Ethiopia Birhanu Jula
Ethiopia Abebaw Tadesse
Casualties and losses
Hundreds killed including 2 aid workers of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) killed by unknown assailants in Kobo[4]
  1. ^ Other maps of territorial control in this war are presented by MapEthiopia

On 27 April, the head of Amhara's Prosperity Party Girma Yeshitila was assassinted in Menz, North Shewa. The Ethiopian government accused the Eastern faction of the Fano militia for plotting overthrowing the government. The Ethiopian security forces said on 30 April that 47 suspects were arrested by the Ethiopian government in connection with an alleged assassination plot.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated on 4 May 2023 that militarized situations were present in four towns of the North Gondar, North Wollo and North Shewa zones.

Background

The Amhara regional forces played a crucial role during the Tigray War, fighting alongside the Ethiopian National Defense Force against the TPLF-led Tigray Defense Forces.[5] Amid the Tigray War in early 2021, there was strife in the Oromia Special Zone of the Amhara Region where fighting occurred between the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and Amhara Special Forces. Local witness told that the OLA, along with other ethnic Oromo militants, overwhelmingly took control of Ataye town on 20 March 2021.[6] The OLA was actively allied with the Tigrayan rebels at the time.

 
Fano fighters near Saint George Church, Lalibela shortly after recapturing it from TDF during the Tigray War

The November 2022 peace agreement which was signed between the Tigrayan and Ethiopian government counterparts opened the door for the OLA insurgency amidst security and provisional reform in Tigray. As a result, OLA had participated in massacre of ethnic Amharas in the Oromia region.[7] In May 2022, Abiy Ahmed government arrested 4,000 people in Amhara to undermine Fano militia rebellion who were critical to his power.[8]

Initial Fano objectives as of March 2020 was for Benishangul-Gumuz Region's Metekel Zone, the northern districts of Welkait and Raya in Tigray, as well as the southern district of Dera to be placed under the control of the Amhara Region.[9] The military stalemate that preceded the November 2022 peace agreement precluded any land swap in the region, as Ethiopian leaders no longer were interested in supporting Fano's territorial goals. This, coupled with the OLA insurgency in the area, rapidly led to a worsening of relations between Fano and the federal government, which had been ironclad allies just a few years before.

On 11 September 2022, senior Fano leader Zemene Kase was arrested by the order of Bahir Dar court following an allegation of murder of a police officer. Zemene was used to hiding from authority insight during the government crackdown before his arrest. After thorough investigration, the Bahir Dar prison released Zemene on 3 June 2023.[10]

Outbreak and emergency

In early April 2023, federal forces stormed into the Amhara region to disarm regional and paramilitary forces. The local civilians moved to remote areas, as the resistant fighters joined a protest with police forces. On 9 April, large-scale protests were flared up in Gondar, Kobo, Seqota, Weldiya and other cities, including road obstruction and setting tires ablaze to block the incoming Ethiopian Army.[11][12] The Ethiopian government started to repress opposition media in the region, as well as the killing aid workers by unknown assailants which led the World Food Programme and other NGOs to stop aid operation in that area.[13] Two Catholic Relief Services (CRS) were killed near town Kobo region.[14] According to the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, one of their ambulance was shot by unknown militants in Central Gondar Zone, injuring a midwife and driver.[15]

On 4 May, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reported a series of militarized situations in the area of North Gondar, North Wollo and North Shewa zones in the town of Shewa Robit, Armania, Antsokiyana Gemza and Majete. The Amhara regional government accused the Fano militia's eastern faction for the killing of the head of Amhara Prosperity Party Girma Yeshitila on 27 April.[16] Subsequently, the Ethiopian security forces arrested 47 suspects allegedly connected to the assassination plot, accusing them for overthrowing the authorities. The public broadcaster EBC stated that the suspect caught in variety weapons and utilities including weapons, bombs and satellite communications equipment.[17]

On 1–2 August, Fano and ENDF reinstated clashes in Debre Tabor. Fighting in Kobo was intense on 1 August but subsided in the next day. One sources stated that Fano militia seized Lalibela Airport. ENDF spokesperson Colonel Getnet Adane threatened in state television that the military would take an action if Fano continue "disturbing the country's peace". On Twitter, Spain's embassy in Ethiopia warned Spanish tourists not to leave the city.[18][19] On 4 August, a state of emergency was declared by Ethiopian government and placed Amhara region under the military command post.[20][21] Restrictions include curfews, transports, internet shutdown and public gatherings. The ENDF military overwhelmingly deployed and retook major towns in Amhara, including Gondar, Lalibela and Bahir Dar since 8 August.[22][23]

Human rights violations

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said that many human rights violations have occurred throughout Amhara Region. The EHRC said that the Ethiopian Air Force's shelling and airstrikes on Debre Birhan, Finote Selam, and Bure has caused civilian casualties as well as damage to residential and public areas. Reuters reported that an airstrike on the town centre of Finote Selam left 26 civilians dead and 55 people injured.[24] Civilians in Bahir Dar were reportedly dragged out of their homes and "killed on the streets or outside their houses while some youths were specifically targeted for searches and subjected to beatings and killings." People of Amhara origin in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa were reportedly subjected to widespread arrests by security forces.[25]

The EHRC also said it had received "credible reports" that extrajudicial killings by security forces had taken place in Shewa Robit and that civilian casualties and property damage had occurred in Gondar.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ ACLED, Communications (10 August 2023). "EPO Weekly: 29 July-4 August 2023". Ethiopia Peace Observatory. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Ethiopian forces push Fano fighters from Amhara's Gondar city". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Multiple injuries as Ethiopian military, militia clash in Amhara: Sources". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Aid group says two workers shot dead in Ethiopia's Amhara region". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Amhara forces withdraw from northern Ethiopia's Tigray region". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Kemise Conflict". Ethiopia Peace Observatory. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  7. ^ Harter, Fred (12 January 2023). "Ethiopia's Oromia conflict: 'People are dying on a daily basis'". The New Humanitarian. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Conflict in Ethiopia". Global Conflict Tracker. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Fano Will Not Lay Down Arms If Demands Are Not Met: Chairman". Ezega News. 28 March 2020. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Court acquits Fano militia leader Zemene Kase as federal security taskforce claims to squash new insurgency in Amhara region". Addis Standard. 31 July 2023.
  11. ^ Endeshaw, Dawit (9 April 2023). "Gunfire, protests in Ethiopia's Amhara over plan to disband regional force". Reuters. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Ethiopia's Amhara region hit by protests over move to dissolve regional forces". BBC News. 10 April 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  13. ^ Ford, Neil (5 May 2023). "Ethiopia: Crackdown in Amhara risks escalating conflict". New African Magazine. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  14. ^ reporter, Guardian (12 April 2023). "Gun battles erupt in Ethiopia as PM axes Amhara region's security force". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  15. ^ reporter, Guardian (12 April 2023). "Gun battles erupt in Ethiopia as PM axes Amhara region's security force". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Rights commission says civilians killed in ongoing military conflict in Amhara region, calls for dialogue". Addis Standard. 30 July 2023.
  17. ^ "47 arrests after murder of Girma Yeshitila, head of Abiy's Propserity Party party in Amhara". The Africa Report. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  18. ^ Endeshaw, Dawit (2 August 2023). "Ethiopian military clashes with militia in Amhara, injuries reported". Reuters. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Multiple injuries as Ethiopian military, militia clash in Amhara: Sources". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  20. ^ Ethiopia declares state of emergency following clashes in Amhara, 4 August 2023
  21. ^ "Deepening Crisis in Ethiopia's Amhara Region". Human Rights Watch. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  22. ^ AfricaNews (9 August 2023). "Ethiopia: army advances in Amhara - authorities". Africanews. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  23. ^ Endeshaw, Dawit (9 August 2023). "Ethiopian military pushes back militiamen in two Amhara towns". Reuters. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  24. ^ "Suspected air strike kills 26 in Ethiopia's Amhara region". Reuters. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  25. ^ a b Dejene, Liya (14 August 2023). "The human rights impact of the armed conflict on civilians in Amhara Regional State". Ethiopian Human Rights Commission - EHRC. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
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