Rebels in Ethiopia’s Amhara region have claimed to have killed more than 90 government soldiers and captured 30 others during intense clashes that erupted after the army launched an offensive.
The Amhara Fano National Force said the fighting occurred in the Raya Kobo area after the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) launched a military operation against its Menelik Command troops. It said its forces mounted a counterattack.
According to a statement from the Amhara Fano National Force (AFNF), more than 90 ENDF soldiers were killed in the battle, with over 150 wounded and 30 captured.
The rebel group also claimed to have seized a significant amount of military equipment, including over 40 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 7,550 rounds of ammunition, 8,200 Bren bullets, 130 military bags, and 170 raincoats.
Medical supplies and food were also captured, the group said.
Fighting was still ongoing, the Fano statement said. According to eyewitnesses, the clashes were heavy, with both sides exchanging fire and suffering significant casualties.
Residents in the area reported hearing heavy gunfire and explosions, and the situation remains tense.
Amhara Fano United
The clashes are the latest in a simmering conflict in the region. In May, a coalition of Fano armed groups announced the formation of a unified organisation, the Amhara Fano National Force (AFNF), to coordinate their activities.
The new force was established following a “founding congress” held by the senior leadership of Fano groups from Gojjam, Wollo, Gonder, and Shewa. A statement at the time described its formation as essential to their ongoing “struggle for existence.”
“We are in a period where the Amhara people’s struggle for existence has significantly intensified,” the AFNF statement read, adding that a unified leadership was a “pressing issue of our time” to maintain momentum.
