The War in Amhara was a war fought between the Amharan Fano militia and the Ethiopian government amid the Ethiopian civil conflict. While the Amhara ethno-nationalist Fano militia had played a key role in the defeat of the TPLF during the Tigray War of 2020-2022, their illegal actions against civilians and even federal police resulted in a federal crackdown that led to an armed conflict between the militia and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF).
History[]
The Amhara Region's armed forces played a crucial role in aiding the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) in defeating the TPLF-led Tigray Defense Forces in the Tigray War of 2020-2022, although the Oromo Liberation Army and other Oromo militias engaged in massacres of ethnic Amharas in Oromia. The Amhara nationalist Fano militia battled the OLA just as it had done to the TPLF in the name of neutralizing perceived threats to the Amhara people, but government attempts to rein in the actions of individuals who had committed illegal acts in the name of Fano led to clashes between federal government forces and Fano in the town of Mota in May 2022. On 11 September 2022, Fano leader Zemene Kase was arrested for murdering a policeman, but he was arrested on 3 June 2023.
In April 2023, federal forces stormed into the Amhara Region to disarm regional and paramilitary forces. This government crackdown resulted in large-scale protests, as thousands of young people had come to support Fano for repelling the TPLF invasion of Amhara. The Ethiopian government repressed opposition media and even UN workers in the region, and, in August 2023, heavy fighting erupted between the Fano and ENDF in Debre Tabor and Kobo. On 4 August 2023, the Ethiopian government declared a state of emergency after the regional government requested federal troops for help. The ensuing conflict was marked by many human rights violations, as Ethiopian Air Force strikes on Debre Birhan, Finote Selam, and Bure caused civilian casualties as well as damage to residential and public areas. Amharas in Addis Ababa were subjected to widespread arrests by security forces, while extrajudicial killings took place in Shewa Robit and Gondar. Gondar changed hands several times, while heavy fighting also took place in Bahir Dar and Shewa Robit. Despite perceived popular support, the absence of unified leadership within the Fano groups threatened the insurgency's long-term sustainability.