According to reports that are difficult to confirm, fighting is reportedly ongoing in the Amhara region between Ethiopian Federal Army forces and Fano militias, especially in the Dessie area. As a result of the clashes, the Fano militia formations have reportedly retreated to the Gojjam area, from where they intend to reorganize militarily to wage some sort of resistance against the federal troops present from the regional state.
Last week the Fano militia commander, Zemene Kassie, issued several messages through which he threatened the federal government of the possibility of a new regional conflict in the Amhara, following the wave of arrests ordered by the Addis Ababa government against militia members.
In fact, more than 4,000 people – mostly Fano militia members – have reportedly been arrested in the regional state of Amhara over the past week as part of a government-coordinated operation aimed at countering the militias’ political and territorial ambitions.
The Fano units, having actively contributed to the military offensive against Tigrinya formations, now claim full control of western Tigray, and criticize Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s political stances toward the Tigrinya TPLF government, deeming them conciliatory and detrimental to the interests of the Amhara regional state.
Also sharing these grievances are numerous members of the Amhara regional state’s special forces, who have been increasingly vocal in their criticism of the federal government, as in the case of their commander, General Tefera Mamo, who was arrested after participating in a televised debate in which he accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of embarking on a flawed strategy in the region.
The Ethiopian prime minister’s attempt to give full military control of the Amhara region back to federal forces has clashed with the intransigence of the more radical bangs of the local military apparatus, and especially those of the Fano ethnic militia and regional special forces. Both believe that the conflict against Tigray must be brought to an end with the full defeat of the local ruling TPLF party, in addition to boasting territorial claims that include large portions of Tigray’s long-claimed territory.
Attempts by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to find a conciliatory formula with the more radical local formations have manifestly failed, leading to the emergence of an increasingly widespread conflict that now threatens to open a new and more dangerous war front.
