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Ethiopian military and Fano fighters exchange conflicting casualty reports as tensions escalate in the Amhara region, raising concerns over a broader conflict and human rights
Ethiopian troops have reportedly killed more than 300 Fano armed group fighters in two days of renewed clashes in the northern Amhara region, according to a statement from the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF). The military claimed that the Fano fighters had carried out attacks in various areas before being “destroyed” by government forces.
The statement, released on Friday, reported that 317 Fano fighters were killed and 125 others injured. However, Fano representatives rejected these claims. Abebe Fantahun, a spokesperson for the Amhara Fano in Wollo Bete-Amhara, told Reuters that the military had not killed even 30 fighters. Yohannes Nigusu, a Fano spokesperson in Gondar, countered the military’s statement by alleging that 602 federal soldiers had been killed, 430 wounded, and 98 captured. He also claimed that Fano forces had seized a significant number of weapons from government troops.
The Fano militia, a loosely organized group of Amhara fighters, was previously an ally of the Ethiopian army and Eritrean forces during the two-year war against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). However, tensions escalated after the 2022 peace agreement between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF. The deal, which formally ended the war, excluded Eritrea and failed to address Amhara’s territorial concerns, leading to resentment within the region.
Fighting between the Ethiopian army and Fano fighters broke out in July 2023 after the government moved to integrate regional special forces into the national army. The decision was met with resistance in Amhara, where Fano fighters and other nationalist groups feared losing their autonomy and influence. Many in the region accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government of sidelining Amhara interests and failing to protect the region from external threats, particularly from Tigray and Sudan.
The Ethiopian military’s statement on Friday also accused Brigadier General Migbey Haile, a senior military official aligned with a faction of the TPLF, of supporting the Fano militia in Amhara. The military described him as an “anti-peace and anti-development promoter” who had previously led Tigray into war without proper military knowledge.
However, Abebe Fantahun dismissed the accusation, calling it a “lie” and stating that the general had no links to Fano. This reflects the growing complexity of Ethiopia’s internal conflicts, as various factions continue to accuse each other of fueling instability.
Concerns over a broader conflict have intensified in recent weeks, especially amid reports that Eritrea has ordered a nationwide military mobilization. Meanwhile, Ethiopia has deployed troops toward its border with Eritrea, raising fears of renewed hostilities between the two nations.
At the same time, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Ethiopian military of committing war crimes in its ongoing fight against Fano. The organization reported that Ethiopian soldiers had executed several dozen civilians in Merawi, a town in Amhara, during recent clashes.
“The Ethiopian armed forces’ brutal killings of civilians in Amhara undercut government claims that it’s trying to bring law and order to the region,” said Laetitia Bader, HRW’s deputy Africa director. She further warned that civilians were once again “bearing the brunt of an abusive army operating with impunity.”
The allegations of human rights violations add another layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict, as the Ethiopian government faces growing criticism from both domestic and international observers. The region remains volatile, with both sides continuing to exchange accusations and engage in deadly clashes.