The conflict between government forces and Fano armed groups in the Amhara region has severely disrupted daily life, residents have told Deutsche Welle Amharic, with many describing conditions as “unbearable.” People in several parts of the region warned that the future looks increasingly bleak unless urgent solutions are found.
A father from Wogel Tena, in Wollo’s Delanta woreda, who lost his son in the fighting last year, said his wife remains emotionally shattered by constant sobbing, while he struggles to move around and earn a living amid the ongoing insecurity. His recorded voice was broadcast on the radio as he told the station: “Losing our son was devastating, and the situation is worsening. We are alive in name only, moving through life like ghosts.” The prolonged conflict has not only devastated his family but also left the wider community in disarray.
“The community is in disarray, and fighting continues. Even yesterday, there was fighting in Delanta Dawunt District,” the unnamed resident said. “Crops were burned, and farmers could not go out to work on their farms. If you cannot leave your house, it becomes a major problem.”
Credible reports indicate that government soldiers and Fano militias have raided homes across many areas of the Amhara region, carrying out summary killings, arbitrary detentions, and looting essential supplies from farmers’ homes and medical clinics. The humanitarian situation in North wollo is worsening, with reports of residential areas increasingly being targeted.
A resident of Debre Work, Eastern Gojam, who requested anonymity, told DW that the conflict has not only disrupted the lives of many students but has also prevented tens of thousands of young people from attending school. Many are left with physical or emotional injuries that make learning difficult, or even impossible. “Schools remain open in major towns, but in many conflict-affected rural areas, they have been closed or destroyed. Boys and girls have stopped attending school, and many girls are being forced into early marriage,” he said.
A witness from Mekane Selam, in South Wollo, said the situation in the area remains dire. “The prolonged conflict has made life extremely difficult, with roads closed and resources and services hard to access,” he added, noting that checkpoints in the area are blocking civilian movement
Many parts of the Amhara region have been cut off from the rest of the country for much of the past two years. Hospitals have been running out of essential drugs, while electricity, phone and banking services have been disrupted, and internet access has been largely cut.
This past week, the Amhara regional government and a faction of the Amhara Fano Popular Organization (AFPO) signed a “peace agreement,” according to regional and national media reports. The agreement was signed by Arega Kebede, the region’s president, and Masresha Setie, a representative of the Amhara Fano AFPO. The AU Commission and IGAD were said to be involved in bringing the two parties together. A few days before news of the agreement emerged, Masresha Setie and his group had surrendered to the authorities. The role of Eskinder Nega, who is said to be the leader of the movement, was not clarified in the reports. Information circulating on social media on 29 November included a statement attributed to AFPO announcing the suspension of two of its executive committee members.
Residents of the region say they are deeply worried about the future if lasting and comprehensive negotiations between the government and Fano militants are not reached.
“To be honest, it is the future, more than the past, that worries us,” one resident said. “Until recently, the market had been relatively stable, but prices have now shot up. Many people cannot afford to buy food, as large and persistent inflation continues to bite.”
(Image by Robin Tutenges)
