Reports emerging from Ethiopia’s Amhara region suggest a significant military build-up by the federal government in the Gojjam area, where fierce fighting continues between Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and the Amhara Fano National Force (AFNF).
According to Asres Mare Damtie, a senior member of the AFNF’s executive committee, thousands of newly deployed government troops are advancing toward Gojjam from multiple fronts, including Gondar, Wollo, and Wollega. In a statement shared via social media, Asres claimed that 30 military trucks filled with federal troops had entered Bahir Dar from the northwestern Gondar corridor, en route to North Gojjam. Additional reinforcements, reportedly even larger in number, are said to have reached Mekane Selam from the Wollo front, while forces from Wollega are also moving into the region.
Asres described the operation as part of a sudden and concentrated government offensive aimed at dismantling Fano units operating across Gojjam. He suggested that the timing of the campaign, during Ethiopia’s sowing season and amid the onset of seasonal rains, was calculated to disrupt rural life and exploit local vulnerabilities.
Clashes reportedly intensified early Friday morning, with fighting erupting across several towns and districts including Arate, Mota, Washera, Filklik, Asteraio, and areas near Este. Asres accused government forces of targeting civilians, particularly farmers engaged in sowing activities, and alleged the use of artillery and other heavy weaponry in the offensive.
In response, Asres stated that all Fano divisions in the Gojjam area are mobilizing to repel what he described as a coordinated attempt by government forces to encircle and isolate them.
Additional reporting from independent outlet Ethio News cited regional sources who claim that federal forces are pursuing a broader strategy: reclaiming territory under Fano control, seizing Fano training camps, targeting key logistics hubs, and eliminating the group’s leadership structure.
Military deployments are also reportedly expanding into other parts of the Amhara region, indicating a possible escalation in the wider conflict.
Despite the scale of reported operations, the Ethiopian Defense Force has not issued a public statement in response. Last week, Chief of Staff Berhanu Jula told parliament that 90 percent of the country’s armed groups had been dismantled. However, ongoing reports from Amhara suggest that Fano forces still hold sway in significant areas, where government administration is said to be virtually nonexistent.
Ethiopian Government Reportedly Deploys Thousands of Troops to Gojjam Amid Renewed Clashes with Fano Forces
