A senior government official was shot and killed near his home in Delanta, South Wollo Zone, as a new wave of targeted assassinations sweeps through Ethiopia’s Amhara region. The killing marks the second such incident within a week, further deepening concerns over the growing influence of armed anti-government groups.
The Delanta Woreda Administration confirmed on Saturday that Getahun Ayale Birru, head of the district office, was gunned down just 50 meters from his residence at around 6:20 A.M. local time. According to an official statement, the assailants were “unidentified armed forces,” and the fatal shot was fired from a distance.
While no group has officially claimed responsibility, unconfirmed local reports suggest the involvement of Fano militias, who have previously issued warnings against government-aligned officials in the region. Fano groups have repeatedly accused federal and regional authorities of waging what they describe as a “war on Amhara,” and have vowed to resist what they consider betrayal from within.
The South Wollo Zone had long been considered relatively secure, particularly compared to other conflict-prone parts of Amhara. However, recent developments signal a shift in security dynamics, with government-linked individuals now increasingly being targeted.
Just days earlier, Captain Hussein Beshir, head of the Argoba Special District Peace and Security Office, was also killed in a shootout, in another incident pointing to mounting instability.
Observers say the attacks form part of a wider insurgency campaign by Fano fighters, who now reportedly control large swathes of the Amhara region—particularly rural districts—despite ongoing military operations by federal forces.
The killings underscore the challenges facing Ethiopia’s efforts to restore order in Amhara, where tensions between local armed groups and the central government have escalated sharply since the end of the Tigray war.
No arrests have yet been made in connection with Getahun Ayale’s killing, and investigations remain ongoing.
