Latest news with #Amharas
AFP
21-05-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Execution video from 2021 filmed in Ethiopia's Tigray region, not in Amhara
The 19-second clip posted on Facebook on May 15, 2025, is accompanied by text in Amharic that reads: 'Do not ask me why I must support Fano. Do not ask me why I hated the prosperity party and soldiers in military uniform.' The Prosperity Party governs Ethiopia. Image Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on May 19, 2025. The video, which has been shared more than 470 times, also contains a text overlay in Amharic which translates to: 'Amharas are being massacred. Please share this video with all.' The harrowing footage shows people wearing military uniforms rounding up and shooting an unarmed group in civilian clothes in a dry, hilly area. A similar post was also shared on Facebook. Amhara conflict After the Ethiopian federal government decided to disarm all local paramilitary groups in April 2023, the Fano militia – who were former allies during the Tigray war – turned against the state and a fresh conflict began in the Amhara region (archived here). AFP reported in March 2025 that the fighting has caused a humanitarian crisis: several million children are out of school and many hospitals are no longer functioning (archived here). In the same month, federal forces said they had killed nearly 300 Fano fighters, while reports indicated that the government had lost control of much of the rural areas in the region. Last year, Amnesty International reported that the Ethiopian army had carried out extrajudicial executions of civilians in Amhara (archived here). However, the footage circulating on Facebook is unrelated to current events in the region. Mahbere Dego massacre AFP Fact Check used the video verification tool InVID-WeVerify to conduct reverse image searches on keyframes from the video. The results established that a longer version of the clip, just over 90 seconds in length, was published on a gore site on June 17, 2021. Show Hide Content warning Show Image Screenshot of the longer version original video, taken on May 20, 2025 Hide The English caption reads: 'Ethiopia: Soldiers Executing Civilians (Longer version)', adding that 'it happened in Tigray, Ethiopia, where people say they are living a genocide'. A week later, Bellingcat, an independent organisation known for its digital investigative reporting on armed conflicts, published a report about this specific footage, which had been circulating on social media at the time, and concluded it was similar to other videos it verified of a massacre by Ethiopian soldiers in Mahbere Dego in the Tigray region sometime in January 2021 (archived here). Bellingcat's report included screenshots from the footage, which we matched to the video in the Facebook posts falsely claiming the events depicted were filmed recently in Amhara. Show Hide Content warning Show Image Screenshots from Bellingcat's report (left) and the false post, taken May 20, 2025 Hide CNN also aired part of the video a few days after Bellingcat published its findings. 'New video of Ethiopia massacre shows soldiers documenting executions,' the CNN caption reads (archived here). Months earlier, in April 2021, Belligcat ran an in-depth report on the Mahbere Dego massacre based on similar footage it believed was filmed in the same place and at the same time (archived here). BBC Africa Eye also published a similar investigative report about the massacre in the same month (archived here). The war in Tigray, pitting the Ethiopian military against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), cost more than 600,000 lives before a peace agreement was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022 (archived here). Both sides were accused of atrocities (here and here) against civilians (archived here and here).
The Star
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
From lawyer to guerilla fighter
BEFORE he was a rebel, Asres Mare Damte was a lawyer. Today he fights for Fano, a loose collection of groups taking on Ethiopia's military in one of its most populous and powerful regions. The conflict in Amhara has simmered largely out of sight, with access limited by authorities and insecurity. But a rare interview with Asres, deputy of an influential Fano faction, and others on the ground give a sense of its impact. Ethiopia's federal government has long been challenged to hold together a potent mix of ethnic groups and interests. Sometimes, as recently in the Tigray region, it explodes into war. The Amhara, Ethiopia's second-largest ethnic group, once dominated national politics. Many among the rebels want to see them in power again. But they also claim the Amhara are under attack, citing ethnic-based violence in parts of Ethiopia where they are a minority. The extent of the Amhara fighting has been difficult to measure since the Fano emerged during anti-government protests in 2016. Andrag. — AP Alliances in Ethiopia can be shifting. During the Tigray conflict, Fano fought alongside Ethiopian forces. Afterwards, angered by certain terms of the peace deal, the rebels turned against the federal government once again. Before taking up arms, Asres said he coordinated peaceful demonstrations to protest the killing of Amharas. He was arrested twice and fled in 2022 after a third warrant was issued. These days, he and fellow fighters live in fear of drone strikes by Ethiopian forces. He makes bullish, unverified claims. 'We have fought thousands of battles,' he said from Amhara's Gojjam area, which has seen some of the heaviest battles. He claimed that Fano control over 80% of Amhara, a mountainous region of over 22 million people, and has captured 'many enemy troops'. In a statement in March, Amhara's deputy head of security said the government had 'freed' 2,225 of Amhara's 4,174 subdistricts. It was not clear how many more were under Fano control. Fighting has escalated since mid-March, with Fano launching an offensive across Amhara. The military has claimed it 'crushed' the offensive and killed 300 Fano fighters, but reports of clashes persist. Amhara's large population has long created pressure to expand and the ethnic group has claimed the western part of Tigray. Fano and Amhara regional forces seized it during the Tigray conflict, but they were left out of peace negotiations. They were angered to learn that western Tigray's fate might be left up to a referendum, which has not been held. It is 'not a genuine peace', Asres said. After several months of small-scale skirmishes, Amhara saw open rebellion in July 2023, when Fano groups launched a coordinated offensive and briefly seized control of several towns. Asres — AP They retreated to the countryside and have waged a hit-and-run guerilla campaign since then, setting up checkpoints on key roads and often entering major urban areas. 'One week you're ruled by one, one week you're ruled by the other,' said a mother of three in the southern town of Debre Markos, referring to the rebels and Ethiopia's military. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. The monitoring group ACLED recorded 270 battles between Fano and government forces between Oct 27 last year and Jan 31, as well as over a dozen attacks targeting health facilities and doctors in Amhara since last April. Residents and observers say some local officials have fled their posts for fear of assassination, while police struggle to maintain control. The regional education office says over 3,600 schools across Amhara are closed, with many looted or damaged, depriving 4.5 million children of schooling. The government said 2.3 million people needed food aid in 2024, many in hard-to-reach areas. 'You can't travel from one city to another safely. Work has stopped,' said Tadesse Gete, a barber based in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, but from North Gondar, one of the fighting's hotspots. Rights groups have accused Ethiopia's military of abuses including extrajudicial killings, drone strikes against civilians and enforced disappearances of alleged Fano sympathisers. Human Rights Watch last year said it had documented attacks by Ethiopian soldiers and allied militias in at least 13 Amhara towns since August 2023. The bloodiest known episode was in February 2024 in Merawi, 30km south of Amhara's regional capital, when Ethiopian troops went door-to-door rounding up and executing civilians following a Fano attack, according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. The state-appointed human rights commission said at least 45 civilians were killed. 'The Ethiopian authorities have taken no meaningful steps to hold perpetrators accountable,' said Haimanot Bejiga, a researcher for Amnesty International. A government spokesman denied the allegations at the time, saying 'not only would civilians never be targeted, even surrendering combatants would not be killed'. On March 31, soldiers rounded up and killed civilians in the town of Brakat after clashing with local forces, two witnesses said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. One described seeing soldiers killing four women. 'They ordered them to kneel down and they shot them from behind,' he said. 'After the soldiers left that area, I counted 28 dead bodies.' The government has restricted access to Brakat and not commented. The government has accused Fano of 'terrorising the people'. But it has also formed regional peace councils and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last year said his government had been in talks for 'a while' with Fano groups. They have not made significant progress. Abiy has said the rebel's diffuse structure and lack of a coherent leadership has made negotiating difficult. Fano continues to draw recruits from disillusioned Amhara youth and from soldiers deserting the military. They include 25-year-old Andrag Challe, who believes that joining the rebellion is the only way to protect the Amhara and bring political change to Ethiopia. The military 'serves the interests of the ruling party', not the people, he said. — AP
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is Ethiopia at war again? A look at the rebellion in one of its most powerful regions
Before he was a rebel, Asres Mare Damte was a lawyer. Today he fights for the Fano, a loose collection of groups taking on Ethiopia's military in one of its most populous and powerful regions. The conflict in Amhara has simmered largely out of sight, with access limited by authorities and insecurity. But a rare interview with Asres, deputy of an influential Fano faction, and others on the ground give a sense of its impact. Ethiopia's federal government has long been challenged to hold together a potent mix of ethnic groups and interests. Sometimes, as recently in the Tigray region, it explodes into war. The Amhara, Ethiopia's second-largest ethnic group, once dominated national politics. Many among the rebels want to see them in power again. But they also claim the Amhara are under attack, citing ethnic-based violence in parts of Ethiopia where they are a minority. The extent of the Amhara fighting has been difficult to measure since the Fano emerged during anti-government protests in 2016. Alliances in Ethiopia can be shifting. During the Tigray conflict, the Fano fought alongside Ethiopian forces. Afterward, angered by certain terms of the peace deal, the rebels turned against the federal government once again. Before taking up arms, Asres said he coordinated peaceful demonstrations to protest the killing of Amharas. He was arrested twice and fled in 2022 after a third warrant was issued. These days, he and fellow fighters live in fear of drone strikes by Ethiopian forces. He makes bullish, unverified claims. 'We have fought thousands of battles,' he told The Associated Press from Amhara's Gojjam area, which has seen some of the heaviest battles. He claimed that the Fano control over 80% of Amhara, a mountainous region of over 22 million people, and has captured 'many enemy troops.' In a statement last month, Amhara's deputy head of security said the government had 'freed' 2,225 of Amhara's 4,174 subdistricts. It was not clear how many more were under Fano control. Fighting has escalated since mid-March, with the Fano launching an offensive across Amhara. The military has claimed it 'crushed' the offensive and killed 300 Fano fighters, but reports of clashes persist. Amhara's large population has long created pressure to expand, and the ethnic group has claimed the western part of Tigray. The Fano and Amhara regional forces seized it during the Tigray conflict, but they were left out of peace negotiations. They were angered to learn that western Tigray's fate might be left up to a referendum, which has not been held. It is "not a genuine peace,' Asres said. After several months of small-scale skirmishes, Amhara saw open rebellion in July 2023, when Fano groups launched a coordinated offensive and briefly seized control of several towns. They retreated to the countryside and have waged a hit-and-run guerrilla campaign since then, setting up checkpoints on key roads and often entering major urban areas. 'One week you're ruled by one, one week you're ruled by the other,' said a mother of three in the southern town of Debre Markos, referring to the rebels and Ethiopia's military. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. The monitoring group ACLED recorded 270 battles between Fano and government forces between Oct. 27 of last year and Jan. 31, as well as over a dozen attacks targeting health facilities and doctors in Amhara since last April. Residents and observers say some local officials have fled their posts for fear of assassination, while police struggle to maintain control. The regional education office says over 3,600 schools across Amhara are closed, with many looted or damaged, depriving 4.5 million children of schooling. The government said 2.3 million people needed food aid in 2024, many in hard-to-reach areas. 'You can't travel from one city to another safely. Work has stopped,' said Tadesse Gete, a barber based in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, but from North Gondar, one of the fighting's hot spots. He said his family fled for safety. Rights groups have accused Ethiopia's military of abuses including extrajudicial killings, drone strikes against civilians and enforced disappearances of alleged Fano sympathizers. Human Rights Watch last year said it had documented attacks by Ethiopian soldiers and allied militias in at least 13 Amhara towns since August 2023. The bloodiest known episode was in February 2024 in Merawi, 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Amhara's regional capital, when Ethiopian troops went door-to-door rounding up and executing civilians following a Fano attack, according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. The state-appointed human rights commission said at least 45 civilians were killed. 'The Ethiopian authorities have taken no meaningful steps to hold perpetrators accountable,' said Haimanot Bejiga, a researcher for Amnesty International. A government spokesperson denied the allegations at the time, saying 'not only would civilians never be targeted, even surrendering combatants would not be killed.' On March 31, soldiers rounded up and killed civilians in the town of Brakat after clashing with local forces, two witnesses told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. One described seeing soldiers killing four women. 'They ordered them to kneel down and they shot them from behind,' he said. 'After the soldiers left that area, I counted 28 dead bodies." The government has restricted access to Brakat and has not commented. The government did not respond to AP questions. It has accused the Fano of 'terrorizing the people'. But it has also formed regional peace councils, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last year said his government had been in talks for 'a while' with Fano groups. They have not made significant progress. Abiy has said the rebel's diffuse structure and lack of a coherent leadership has made negotiating difficult. The Fano continues to draw recruits from disillusioned Amhara youth and from soldiers deserting the military. They include 25-year-old Andrag Challe, who believes that joining the rebellion is the only way to protect the Amhara and bring political change to Ethiopia. The military 'serves the interests of the ruling party,' not the people, he said.
The Independent
11-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Is Ethiopia at war again? A look at the rebellion in one of its most powerful regions
Before he was a rebel, Asres Mare Damte was a lawyer. Today he fights for the Fano, a loose collection of groups taking on Ethiopia's military in one of its most populous and powerful regions. The conflict in Amhara has simmered largely out of sight, with access limited by authorities and insecurity. But a rare interview with Asres, deputy of an influential Fano faction, and others on the ground give a sense of its impact. Ethiopia 's federal government has long been challenged to hold together a potent mix of ethnic groups and interests. Sometimes, as recently in the Tigray region, it explodes into war. The Amhara, Ethiopia's second-largest ethnic group, once dominated national politics. Many among the rebels want to see them in power again. But they also claim the Amhara are under attack, citing ethnic-based violence in parts of Ethiopia where they are a minority. The extent of the Amhara fighting has been difficult to measure since the Fano emerged during anti-government protests in 2016. Alliances in Ethiopia can be shifting. During the Tigray conflict, the Fano fought alongside Ethiopian forces. Afterward, angered by certain terms of the peace deal, the rebels turned against the federal government once again. Before taking up arms, Asres said he coordinated peaceful demonstrations to protest the killing of Amharas. He was arrested twice and fled in 2022 after a third warrant was issued. These days, he and fellow fighters live in fear of drone strikes by Ethiopian forces. He makes bullish, unverified claims. 'We have fought thousands of battles,' he told The Associated Press from Amhara's Gojjam area, which has seen some of the heaviest battles. He claimed that the Fano control over 80% of Amhara, a mountainous region of over 22 million people, and has captured 'many enemy troops.' In a statement last month, Amhara's deputy head of security said the government had 'freed' 2,225 of Amhara's 4,174 subdistricts. It was not clear how many more were under Fano control. Fighting has escalated since mid-March, with the Fano launching an offensive across Amhara. The military has claimed it 'crushed' the offensive and killed 300 Fano fighters, but reports of clashes persist. Amhara's large population has long created pressure to expand, and the ethnic group has claimed the western part of Tigray. The Fano and Amhara regional forces seized it during the Tigray conflict, but they were left out of peace negotiations. They were angered to learn that western Tigray's fate might be left up to a referendum, which has not been held. It is "not a genuine peace,' Asres said. After several months of small-scale skirmishes, Amhara saw open rebellion in July 2023, when Fano groups launched a coordinated offensive and briefly seized control of several towns. They retreated to the countryside and have waged a hit-and-run guerrilla campaign since then, setting up checkpoints on key roads and often entering major urban areas. 'One week you're ruled by one, one week you're ruled by the other,' said a mother of three in the southern town of Debre Markos, referring to the rebels and Ethiopia's military. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. The monitoring group ACLED recorded 270 battles between Fano and government forces between Oct. 27 of last year and Jan. 31, as well as over a dozen attacks targeting health facilities and doctors in Amhara since last April. Residents and observers say some local officials have fled their posts for fear of assassination, while police struggle to maintain control. The regional education office says over 3,600 schools across Amhara are closed, with many looted or damaged, depriving 4.5 million children of schooling. The government said 2.3 million people needed food aid in 2024, many in hard-to-reach areas. 'You can't travel from one city to another safely. Work has stopped,' said Tadesse Gete, a barber based in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, but from North Gondar, one of the fighting's hot spots. He said his family fled for safety. Rights groups have accused Ethiopia's military of abuses including extrajudicial killings, drone strikes against civilians and enforced disappearances of alleged Fano sympathizers. Human Rights Watch last year said it had documented attacks by Ethiopian soldiers and allied militias in at least 13 Amhara towns since August 2023. The bloodiest known episode was in February 2024 in Merawi, 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Amhara's regional capital, when Ethiopian troops went door-to-door rounding up and executing civilians following a Fano attack, according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. The state-appointed human rights commission said at least 45 civilians were killed. 'The Ethiopian authorities have taken no meaningful steps to hold perpetrators accountable,' said Haimanot Bejiga, a researcher for Amnesty International. A government spokesperson denied the allegations at the time, saying 'not only would civilians never be targeted, even surrendering combatants would not be killed.' On March 31, soldiers rounded up and killed civilians in the town of Brakat after clashing with local forces, two witnesses told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. One described seeing soldiers killing four women. 'They ordered them to kneel down and they shot them from behind,' he said. 'After the soldiers left that area, I counted 28 dead bodies." The government has restricted access to Brakat and has not commented. The government did not respond to AP questions. It has accused the Fano of 'terrorizing the people'. But it has also formed regional peace councils, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last year said his government had been in talks for 'a while' with Fano groups. They have not made significant progress. Abiy has said the rebel's diffuse structure and lack of a coherent leadership has made negotiating difficult. The Fano continues to draw recruits from disillusioned Amhara youth and from soldiers deserting the military. They include 25-year-old Andrag Challe, who believes that joining the rebellion is the only way to protect the Amhara and bring political change to Ethiopia. The military 'serves the interests of the ruling party,' not the people, he said.
Associated Press
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Is Ethiopia at war again? A look at the rebellion in one of its most powerful regions
Before he was a rebel, Asres Mare Damte was a lawyer. Today he fights for the Fano, a loose collection of groups taking on Ethiopia's military in one of its most populous and powerful regions. The conflict in Amhara has simmered largely out of sight, with access limited by authorities and insecurity. But a rare interview with Asres, deputy of an influential Fano faction, and others on the ground give a sense of its impact. Ethiopia's federal government has long been challenged to hold together a potent mix of ethnic groups and interests. Sometimes, as recently in the Tigray region, it explodes into war. The Amhara, Ethiopia's second-largest ethnic group, once dominated national politics. Many among the rebels want to see them in power again. But they also claim the Amhara are under attack, citing ethnic-based violence in parts of Ethiopia where they are a minority. The extent of the Amhara fighting has been difficult to measure since the Fano emerged during anti-government protests in 2016. Alliances in Ethiopia can be shifting. During the Tigray conflict, the Fano fought alongside Ethiopian forces. Afterward, angered by certain terms of the peace deal, the rebels turned against the federal government once again. Before taking up arms, Asres said he coordinated peaceful demonstrations to protest the killing of Amharas. He was arrested twice and fled in 2022 after a third warrant was issued. These days, he and fellow fighters live in fear of drone strikes by Ethiopian forces. He makes bullish, unverified claims. 'We have fought thousands of battles,' he told The Associated Press from Amhara's Gojjam area, which has seen some of the heaviest battles. He claimed that the Fano control over 80% of Amhara, a mountainous region of over 22 million people, and has captured 'many enemy troops.' In a statement last month, Amhara's deputy head of security said the government had 'freed' 2,225 of Amhara's 4,174 subdistricts. It was not clear how many more were under Fano control. Fighting has escalated since mid-March, with the Fano launching an offensive across Amhara. The military has claimed it 'crushed' the offensive and killed 300 Fano fighters, but reports of clashes persist. Amhara's large population has long created pressure to expand, and the ethnic group has claimed the western part of Tigray. The Fano and Amhara regional forces seized it during the Tigray conflict, but they were left out of peace negotiations. They were angered to learn that western Tigray's fate might be left up to a referendum, which has not been held. It is 'not a genuine peace,' Asres said. After several months of small-scale skirmishes, Amhara saw open rebellion in July 2023, when Fano groups launched a coordinated offensive and briefly seized control of several towns. They retreated to the countryside and have waged a hit-and-run guerrilla campaign since then, setting up checkpoints on key roads and often entering major urban areas. 'One week you're ruled by one, one week you're ruled by the other,' said a mother of three in the southern town of Debre Markos, referring to the rebels and Ethiopia's military. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. The monitoring group ACLED recorded 270 battles between Fano and government forces between Oct. 27 of last year and Jan. 31, as well as over a dozen attacks targeting health facilities and doctors in Amhara since last April. Residents and observers say some local officials have fled their posts for fear of assassination, while police struggle to maintain control. The regional education office says over 3,600 schools across Amhara are closed, with many looted or damaged, depriving 4.5 million children of schooling. The government said 2.3 million people needed food aid in 2024, many in hard-to-reach areas. 'You can't travel from one city to another safely. Work has stopped,' said Tadesse Gete, a barber based in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, but from North Gondar, one of the fighting's hot spots. He said his family fled for safety. Rights groups have accused Ethiopia's military of abuses including extrajudicial killings, drone strikes against civilians and enforced disappearances of alleged Fano sympathizers. Human Rights Watch last year said it had documented attacks by Ethiopian soldiers and allied militias in at least 13 Amhara towns since August 2023. The bloodiest known episode was in February 2024 in Merawi, 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Amhara's regional capital, when Ethiopian troops went door-to-door rounding up and executing civilians following a Fano attack, according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. The state-appointed human rights commission said at least 45 civilians were killed. 'The Ethiopian authorities have taken no meaningful steps to hold perpetrators accountable,' said Haimanot Bejiga, a researcher for Amnesty International. A government spokesperson denied the allegations at the time, saying 'not only would civilians never be targeted, even surrendering combatants would not be killed.' On March 31, soldiers rounded up and killed civilians in the town of Brakat after clashing with local forces, two witnesses told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. One described seeing soldiers killing four women. 'They ordered them to kneel down and they shot them from behind,' he said. 'After the soldiers left that area, I counted 28 dead bodies.' The government has restricted access to Brakat and has not commented. The government did not respond to AP questions. It has accused the Fano of 'terrorizing the people'. But it has also formed regional peace councils, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last year said his government had been in talks for 'a while' with Fano groups. They have not made significant progress. Abiy has said the rebel's diffuse structure and lack of a coherent leadership has made negotiating difficult. The Fano continues to draw recruits from disillusioned Amhara youth and from soldiers deserting the military. They include 25-year-old Andrag Challe, who believes that joining the rebellion is the only way to protect the Amhara and bring political change to Ethiopia. The military 'serves the interests of the ruling party,' not the people, he said.
