Ethiopian government forces are facing serious allegations of extrajudicial killings in the Amhara region, with reports indicating that more than 20 civilians were executed in separate incidents on January 23, 2025. The killings are said to be part of an ongoing strategy by the Ethiopian government to suppress civilian support for rebel groups operating in the region, amid the backdrop of the protracted conflict.
According to multiple credible sources, including family members of the victims, the executions took place in two areas of the Amhara region—Gondar and Gojjam. BBC Amharic reported that the first incident occurred in the Alefa district of central Gondar, where government soldiers allegedly launched an attack on civilians who were celebrating the Kana Zegelila holiday, part of the Timkat festivities. The soldiers reportedly went door-to-door, pulling several individuals from their homes, and executing them in public around 10:30 a.m. local time. It was noted that many of the victims were unarmed, with some being women and children.
In the evening of the same day, a second attack occurred in the Gojjam district, specifically in the Qarit area. Civilians were reportedly collecting straw for livestock when they were approached by government forces and executed on the spot. Among the victims was a local priest, whose identity remains undisclosed. Eyewitness accounts confirm that those killed in both areas were unarmed civilians, many of whom were simply going about their daily activities and had no involvement in the conflict.
Video footage capturing the aftermath of the killings, showing grieving families and funeral processions, has been widely circulated online, supporting the claims of extrajudicial executions. However, despite these visual confirmations, attempts by BBC Amharic to reach government authorities for comment have been unsuccessful. The Ethiopian government has neither confirmed nor denied the allegations, but the Ethiopian Defense Force has consistently denied reports of executing civilians, despite numerous claims from both local and international human rights organizations.
Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns over the increasing targeting of civilians in the ongoing conflict in Amhara, with reports of drone attacks and military operations that disproportionately affect non-combatants. In many instances, civilians have become direct targets in the larger war between government forces and the regional rebel groups. However, due to the government-imposed “state of emergency” in the Amhara region, which restricts access to affected areas and limits reporting on human rights abuses, it is feared that the full scale of these atrocities remains underreported.
The government has justified its emergency measures as necessary to combat insurgency and maintain national security, but these actions have also contributed to the suppression of free press and the silencing of voices calling for accountability. Human rights organizations warn that the lack of independent oversight and the harsh restrictions on reporting could further exacerbate the crisis and lead to more civilian casualties.
As the situation in Amhara continues to worsen, international calls for an independent investigation into these killings are growing, with hopes that an external body will be able to document the full extent of the violence and hold those responsible to account. However, with ongoing reports of government suppression, the true scope of these human rights violations remains unclear.
