War in Amhara

War in Amhara
Part of the Ethiopian civil conflict (2018–present)
Map of Ethiopia showing areas of Fano militia presence (in yellow) and areas under the control of the Ethiopian government (in red)
Date 9 April 2023 – present (1 year, 1 month and 4 days) Location Amhara Region and the Western Zone Status Ongoing Heavy clashes erupt between Fano and ENDF in August 2023 Drone attacks against civilians in Finote Selam[2] Mass arrests of ethnic Amhara civilians[3] Local government officials fled their homes[4] State of emergency declared ENDF retook major towns in Amhara including Gondar, Bahir Dar and Lalibela on 8 August[5] Sporadic clashes between Fano militants and the ENDF in urban areas since January 2024
Belligerents
Regional Fano factions[1]	Ethiopia ENDF
Commanders and leaders
Eskinder Nega Zemene Kassie[6][7] Mihretu Wodajo[8]	Abiy Ahmed Birhanu Jula Abebaw Tadesse Abraham Belay Yilkal Kefale Arega Kebede

The War in Amhara is an armed conflict in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia that began in April 2023 between the Amhara regional forces along with the Fano militia, and the Ethiopian government. The conflict began after the Ethiopian military raided the Amhara Region to disarm the Amhara Special Forces and other regional allies, which resulted in resistance of local armed forces and a series of protests in Gondar, Kobo, Sekota, Weldiya and other cities on 9 April.

On 27 April, the head of Prosperity Party in the Amhara Region Girma Yeshitila was assassinated in Menz, North Shewa. The Ethiopian government accused the Fano militia's eastern faction for the assassination and plotting the overthrow of the government. The Ethiopian security forces said on 30 April that 47 suspects were arrested by the Ethiopian government in connection with an alleged assassination plot. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated on 4 May 2023 that militarized situations were present in four towns of the North Gondar, North Wollo and North Shewa zones.

Further escalation erupted on 1 August between Fano and ENDF troops in Gondar, Debre Tabor and Debre Markos. Following the seizure of Lalibela on 2 August by Fano fighters, the Amhara regional government under Yilkal Kefale requesed help from the federal government, resulting in a six-month state of emergency on 4 August. The ENDF retook Gondar and Lalibela on 8 August. Just after controlling much parts of the region, ENDF carried out a drone strike in Finote Selam on 13 August, killing 26 people according to the hospital source.^[9] The Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA) reported that the ENDF conducted door-to-door searches and began extrajudicial killing against residents, mostly young men. At least 70 civilians were killed by the execution.^[10]

The war exploited massive human rights violations and property damages carried out by Ethiopian authority according to numerous human rights groups including the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and Amnesty International.^[11] EHRC said that 45 civilians were killed in Amhara region by security forces for allegedly supporting Fano in late January 2024.^[12] Amnesty International verified the extrajudicial killings of ENDF troops between 10 and 11 October 2023 against health workers, including threatening them with gunpoint.^[13]

Despite perceived popular support, the absence of unified leadership within the Fano groups has raised questions regarding the insurgency's long-term sustainability.^[14]