Three young women were found dead on Tuesday last week in Debre Elias woreda of East Gojam zone in the Amhara region. The women, aged between 17 and 19, were reportedly executed by Fano militants.

Confirming the incident, Asres Mare Damte, a member of the Amhara Fano National Central Command, told BBC Amharic that the women had been found spying for the enemy and that measures had been taken against them. However, officials in Debre Elias Woreda disputed this account, saying the victims were ordinary women engaged in daily labor, and that one of them had a hearing impairment.

The bodies of the victims were found on the outskirts of Debre Elias, near the Tija Gotera roundabout, according to BBC Amharic, which cited Demis Alehegn, the woreda’s security office head.

After a tip-off from community members, the families were able to recover the bodies, which had been found in an area reportedly controlled by Fano militias. According to Demis Alehegn, one of the victims, identified from her ID card as Muyanesh Teshome, was 17 years old. The other two, Tihitina Alehegn and Melkam Tade, were 18 and 19, respectively.

The Fano leader said the three women had admitted to the acts they were accused of, but authorities contend that any confessions were the result of torture.

Despite the accusations and counterclaims, no independent body has been able to confirm the details. Once again, the incident highlights how civilians are caught in the crossfire between government forces and Fano militias.