Renewed and intense combat has erupted in various areas of Ethiopia’s Amhara region, pitting government forces against local militia, with the deployment of artillery marking the latest clashes with the Fano militia.
In response to the escalating situation, authorities have imposed a ban on movement along a crucial road connecting Debre Birhan and Dese, hinting at the potential initiation of a significant offensive. The military, however, claims to have secured an alternative route south of Merawi.
Residents interviewed by media characterized Monday’s confrontations as highly fierce. Earlier this month, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported numerous extrajudicial killings by troops in the town, an assertion denied by the government, which maintains civilians were not intentionally targeted.
With tensions escalating, the Ethiopian government recently prolonged a state of emergency in the Amhara region. The underlying unrest originated last year when the Addis Ababa government sought to disarm the Amhara militia following the conclusion of the conflict in the neighboring Tigray region.