KAMPALA: Fresh fighting has started in the second-largest town of Ethiopia’s Amhara region as armed men clashed with the military over government plans to neutralize local forces, Western media reported on Monday.
Fano militia clash military units
Fano militia fighters clashed with military units in the town of Gondar, an important tourist destination and commercial hub.
Peace had mostly been restored with the military back in control of the town, though infrequent gunfire could still be heard according to the residents. Shops were mostly closed and the streets were empty in the area.
Other areas of Amhara, including the regional capital Bahir Dar, and Lalibela, another important tourist destination did not witness any fighting.
However, the violence erupted in Amhara, Ethiopia’s second-largest state, in early August, with Fano fighters taking control of several towns and protesters blocking roads. The military regained control after several days.
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The government blocked internet access and imposed a state of emergency following the unrest. The fighting sparked fears of a new civil war following the unrest t in the neighboring Tigray region.
The violence started after the government decided to disarm the region’s forces in April. The government believed that fighting militias posed a threat to Ethiopia’s constitutional order. The Amhara ethnic group demands security forces to protect them against attacks.
The United Nations last month said the violence had killed over 180 people while it voiced concern over a wave of arrests of the ethnic Amhara group.
