Ethiopian military officers Major Mulat Sisay and Lieutenant Getinet Niguisse, have defected from the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) to join the Fano militia, escalating tensions in the Amhara region. DNE Africa has obtained an exclusive photo showing them with Zemene Kassa one of Fano commanders.
This follows previous defections of high-ranking officers including Brigadier General Tezera Nguse, Brigadier General Tefera Mamo, Colonel Fentahu Mekuye and Colonel Abera Azanaw.
Colonel Abera Azanaw, who served as head of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) for the Ethiopian National Defence Force for more than 34 years, joined Fano a month ago.
The defections from the Ethiopian military come during a period of increased unrest in Amhara, Ethiopia’s most populated region. The region has experienced attacks by the Abiy Ahmed regime.
The Fano militia, described as a “self-defence” force, took up arms against the state after authorities attempted to disarm them. The group’s emergence has been attributed to longstanding grievances among the Amhara people, who have experienced what they describe as decades of systemic marginalisation, mass killings, and displacement in various parts of the country.
Fano represents an armed manifestation of these grievances, with a stated aim of establishing a new social order characterised by equality among all groups, respect for individual rights, the rule of law, and democracy. The group’s members feel that the government of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been unwilling or unable to address their marginalization.
