There were reports of clashes between Ethiopia’s military forces and fighters from an Amhara region militia, as confirmed by local residents on Wednesday, this represents an escalation of tensions in the longstanding dispute between these two former allies, with a medical professional indicating that the clashes have resulted in more than a dozen injuries.
In the preceding two-year civil war within the neighboring Tigray region, Fano, operating as a part-time militia without a formal command structure, aligned itself with federal troops. This partnership persisted until the conclusion of the conflict in November of the previous year.
During both Tuesday and Wednesday, there were clashes between Fano fighters and Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) troops in the vicinity of Debre Tabor, according to accounts from an unnamed doctor at a hospital in the town and a police officer. Both sources chose not to disclose their identities due to security reasons.
As per the doctor’s statement, the hospital has admitted three individuals with severe injuries and ten others with minor injuries, some of which were caused by gunshots and heavy weapons.
Per an undisclosed diplomatic source, hostilities commenced several days ago as the military launched an operation with the objective of driving Fano fighters out of Kobo and other nearby areas.