Ethiopia’s armed forces announced that more than 300 fighters from the Fano militia were killed during intense combat over two days in the country’s northern Amhara region — an area that has become a hotspot for escalating violence in recent months.
In an official statement issued Friday, the Ethiopian army said the militia fighters, who were once allies during the civil war against Tigray rebels, launched coordinated attacks across multiple zones in the Amhara region before being “neutralized” by government forces. According to the military, at least 317 Fano members were killed and 125 more sustained injuries in the renewed clashes.
The fighting marks one of the bloodiest confrontations between the two sides since hostilities erupted last year.
Conflicting Accounts
Despite the army’s confident tone, Fano representatives strongly disputed the casualty figures and rejected the official narrative. Abebe Fantahun, a spokesperson for the Fano militia based in Wollo Bete-Amhara, told Reuters that government claims were exaggerated. “They haven’t even killed 30 of our fighters,” he said.
Yohannes Nigusu, another Fano representative operating in Gondar, offered a counterclaim, asserting that the federal army suffered far heavier losses. He alleged that 602 Ethiopian soldiers were killed, 430 were wounded, and 98 captured by Fano fighters during the clashes. Additionally, he claimed the militia had seized a cache of weapons from government forces.
From Allies to Enemies
The Fano militia had previously fought alongside the Ethiopian army and Eritrean forces during the brutal two-year conflict against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). However, relations soured following the signing of the November 2022 peace agreement that brought an end to the Tigray war. Many in Amhara viewed the peace deal as a betrayal, and tensions with the federal government have since escalated.
By mid-2023, open conflict broke out between federal forces and the Fano militia, fueling fears of a broader destabilization in Ethiopia’s northern regions.
Complicating matters further, the once-unified TPLF has splintered into rival factions, led by Debretsion Gebremichael and Getachew Reda, each asserting leadership over the movement. In its latest statement, the Ethiopian military accused Brigadier General Migbey Haile — allegedly aligned with Debretsion’s wing — of aiding the Fano militia in orchestrating the recent attacks in Amhara. The general was labeled “anti-peace” and accused of dragging Tigray into war despite lacking sound military judgment.
Fano’s spokesperson, Abebe, dismissed the army’s accusations as baseless and denied any connection between Brigadier General Migbey and the militia.
Growing Humanitarian Concerns
The resurgence of violence has drawn concern from human rights observers. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Ethiopia’s military of committing serious violations, including extrajudicial killings of civilians in conflict zones.
In a previous report, HRW documented a massacre in the town of Merawi in northwestern Amhara, where several dozen civilians were allegedly executed by government forces. The rights organization warned that the Ethiopian military continues to operate with impunity.
“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, deputy Africa director at HRW. “Since fighting began between federal forces and the Fano militia, civilians are once again bearing the brunt of an abusive army operating with impunity.”
Rising Regional Tensions
The conflict also threatens to spill across borders. Reports have emerged suggesting Eritrea, Ethiopia’s volatile neighbor to the north, has ordered a countrywide military mobilization, prompting fears of renewed confrontation. Ethiopia, in response, has reportedly moved troops closer to the Eritrean border.
As tensions soar in the Horn of Africa, the latest round of fighting in Amhara signals the fragility of Ethiopia’s peace process and the growing risks of widespread instability.
