Amhara’s Fano militia has launched a series of coordinated offensives across northern Ethiopia, claiming fresh military victories over federal forces just weeks after the government declared major progress in its latest crackdown.
Local media reports, including from Ethio Focus, indicate that Fano fighters have regained control of several strategic towns in the Gondar zone—namely Metema, Belesa, and Enfraz—though the latter was reportedly recaptured by government troops shortly after. Fighting has been reported on at least nine fronts in the Gondar area alone, suggesting a significant expansion in the scope of the armed group’s operations.
In Metema, intense combat was reported in the Shimele Gora and Tariku Gora localities, where Fano forces say they killed dozens of government troops and seized weapons. Two Fano fighters were reportedly killed and three wounded in the clashes. The group also targeted anti-riot police camps, which the federal government has increasingly relied on in its operations across Amhara.
Elsewhere in the region, active battles are ongoing in South Gondar’s Gaynt district, and heavy fighting is also reported in Alpha and Takussa. In neighboring Gojjam, Fano commanders claim further gains and weapons seizures, with prominent leader Asres Mare declaring that “military force alone cannot win this war.”
The offensive comes as a direct challenge to the federal government’s “Operation Tide,” a military campaign launched three weeks ago with the stated goal of eliminating the remaining 10% of armed resistance groups following what officials described as the dismantling of 90% of militias, including Fano. Ethiopia’s Chief of General Staff Berhanu Jula reiterated that claim in a recent address to parliament.
However, Fano forces now assert that they have reversed the impact of the operation, capturing territory and undermining federal control in key areas.
The government has yet to issue an official statement in response to the Fano claims.
The renewed fighting raises serious questions about the effectiveness of federal military efforts and highlights the enduring volatility in Ethiopia’s northern regions. With no clear end in sight, the conflict threatens to further destabilize the country’s fragile political and security landscape.
