Residents in the Amhara region reported clashes between Ethiopia’s Army and militants on Wednesday, resulting in multiple injuries.
A two-year civil war in the neighbouring Tigray province that ended last November was supported by Fano, a part-time militia with no official command structure. However, the relationship has deteriorated because of what some in the area claim to be the national government’s indifference for Amhara’s security.
A doctor at a hospital in the town and a police official told reporters that Fano rebels and Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) soldiers engaged in combat close to Debre Tabor on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both requested anonymity for security reasons.
Requests for comment on Wednesday went unanswered by the Amhara regional administration and the federal government of Ethiopia.
According to the doctor, the hospital had received 10 minor injuries, including wounds from heavy weapons and gunfire, and three persons with critical injuries.
“The fighting continued today on the outskirts of town,” the doctor said, adding the road into Debre Tabor was closed. “Those who were injured are coming by foot.”
Early on Tuesday, there was fighting outside of the town of Kobo as well, but on Wednesday, things were calm, according to two Kobo residents.
Fighting started a few days ago, according to a diplomatic source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, when the military launched an operation to drive out Fano rebels from Kobo and other locations.
Later, according to the diplomatic source, Fano militiamen took control of the sacred city of Lalibela, which is home to a UNESCO World Heritage site.
An announcement on the social networking website X, formerly known as Twitter, stated that the Spanish embassy in Ethiopia had advised any Spaniards in Lalibela not to leave their hotels or homes.
On Tuesday, the state-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation quoted ENDF spokesperson Colonel Getnet Adane as saying the military would take action against Fano for “disturbing the country’s peace”.
He cited several recent incidents in which Fano fighters had opened fire on ENDF soldiers but did not say when they had occurred.
Fano fighters took part in a week of violent protests across Amhara in April after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered that security forces from Ethiopia’s 11 regions be integrated into the police or national army.
Protesters felt the order was meant to weaken Amhara – the country’s second-biggest region. The federal government denied this.
