No. 468 – 07 August 2023

Situation in Ethiopia (per 7 August)

  • Fighting continues in the Amhara region. The  Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) acknowledged it has lost some areas to the Fano militia.
  • Fighting is ongoing in the capital city of Amhara, Bahir Dar, and other locations such as Gondar, where the ENDF are trying to take the city back from Fano control.
  • Fano reportedly holds Shewa Robit, Debre Berhan and Gondar.
  • In the towns controlled by Fano, they have released prisoners and taken over government institutions.
  • ENDF military are approaching the Alemwach camp for Eritrean refugees, located in the Amhara region, from two sides. Refugees fear becoming trapped with no safe routes out.
  • It is estimated that around half of the Amhara regional forces have joined the Fano militia to fight against the ENDF.
  • The Eritrean army has re-entered western Tigray in several locations and is reportedly training Fano militia in Humera, who are then being sent into Amhara to fight the ENDF, sources state.
  • Temesgen Tiruneh, Director General of National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) of Ethiopia and former President of the Amhara region, was appointed to head the general command and lead the execution of the state of emergency in Amhara.
  • The proclamation of the state of emergency allows the state various powers, such as establishing local administrative structures, making decisions on local administrative and security issues, limiting demonstrations and grants the power to shut down media houses. 
  • The state of emergency, initiated for a period of six months, may also apply to other areas of Ethiopia.
  • Temesghen Tiruneh accused the Fano militia of attempting to overthrow the regional and federal government.

Situation in Sudan (per 7 August)

  • The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have reportedly engaged in a campaign to forcibly remove citizens from their homes in Khartoum in order to control neighbourhoods.
  • Heavy fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF continued in Al Kalakla, South Khartoum, and in the Ombada region of Omdurman. This included airstrikes.
  • Violence against civilians in Darfur continues. RSF claims to have taken control of Central Darfur and its capital Zalingei.
  • RSF’s leader Hemedti is said to be in alliance with Niger’s overthrown president Mohamed Bazoum, who represents interests of Nomadic tribes in the Sahel who have been losing access to land, observers state. Hemedti and Bazoum are connected through friendly tribal links.
  • Bazoum reportedly earlier sent elite troops to assist RSF.
  • The Deputy Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council revealed the government’s roadmap to peace.
  • It outlines a strategy of ceasefire, delivering humanitarian aid, followed by a political process based on nation building instead of power sharing.

Situation in Eritrea (per 7 August)

  • The licence of a festival directly linked to the Eritrean government in Toronto, Canada, was revoked after clashes between festival goers and protesters. Protesters stated the festival is political and raises funds for the Eritrean military.
  • Nine people were brought to a hospital, of which one was seriously injured.
  • Protesters also protested an Eritrean festival in Seattle. The festival in Seattle was opened by governors from Eritrea.
  • Another Eritrean festival in Sweden was cancelled on Friday after violent clashes. Governors from Eritrea were also present at this festival. A complaint is filed to challenge the decision to allow the festival to go ahead in the first place.
  • Eritrean youth  under the name Free Youth of Eritrea published a manifesto under the title “We want to be free, we want to live, we want justice, we want peace.”
  • The youth manifesto is a statement against the Eritrean dictatorship and the indifference of the international community towards the plight of Eritrean youth.
  • Eritrean youth has been sent as cannon fodder in wars as part of their brutal enslavement in the indefinite national service and have endured brutal reprisals, persecution and fear, the manifesto reads.
  • Free Youth of Eritrea states it is a peace movement of youth in Eritrea and in the diaspora and vows that it will expose the truth about the Eritrean regime. It strives to restore the dignity and self-respect of Eritrean youth.

Refugee Situation (per 7 August)

  • Eritrean refugees in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, are facing arrests by police despite some of them possessing refugee IDs. Police is also accused of extorting money from refugees by imprisoning them or threatening to cut their refugee ID.
  • The Eritrean refugees at Alemwach camp in the Amhara region are facing a lack of food, clean water and medicine as World Food Programme and UN staff have left the camp.

Regional Situation (per 7 August)

  • The foreign ministers of Sudan’s neighbouring countries are meeting in Chad to discuss the situation in Sudan.

International Situation (per 7 August)

  • The Sunday evening deadline by ECOWAS to send troops to Niger in response to the coup has passed.
  • Nigeria is ready to provide troops to ECOWAS but observers are warning that this could further expand the conflict and draw Nigeria and the wider region into it.
  • Civil Society organisations are calling for a negotiated peace settlement and AU-led peace mission in Niger and not a military intervention.
  • The Troika (Norway, the UK and the US) released a statement condemning the violence in Darfur, particularly the ethnic killings by the RSF and allied militia.
  • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called with Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed on Friday, expressing concern over the conflict in the Amhara region.

Links of interest
Ethiopia’s government says it lost control of some areas in the Amhara region to militia fighters
Ethiopia accuses Amhara militia of trying to overthrow government
Intelligence chief Temesgen Tiruneh to lead command post overseeing SoE in Amhara region, ministry of justice reveals further details

An Eritrean festival in Toronto turned violent. Here’s what we know
Eritrean youth manifesto

RSF claim ‘full control’ of Central Darfur after clashes
Malik Agar reveals government-proposed roadmap to end Sudan’s war
Egypt’s FM visits Chad for ministerial meeting on Sudan
Niger coup: Divisions as ECOWAS military threat fails to play out

Statement on Atrocities in Darfur, Sudan
US expresses grave concern over conflict in Ethiopia’s Amhara region

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