By Eyob Tilahun Abera

Human rights abuse by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy’s forces are at a record level. From mid-September 2024 to mid-December 2024, serious human rights abuses against ethnic Amhara, associated with the ongoing war in the Amhara region, were reported. These are detailed below. It is not difficult to imagine the graveness of these crimes because the government’s own organisation, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRC), highlighted these. This situation report is compiled from various sources, mainly using the EHRC quarterly report.  

              Situation in the Amhara region of Ethiopia

  1. From September 16 to 17, 2024, in Gondar city, Kebele 18, Addis Alem, Genfo Kuch, Koshe Sefer, Fasil Campus, Amanuel, Loza Mariam, Atet and Azazo areas of the city, at least 10 civilians, including children and women, were killed due to indiscriminate attacks by government security forces and following an armed group conflict with Fano, as residents eyewitnesses indicated. According to information obtained from one hospital alone, a total of 32 civilians, including 6 women and 6 children, received minor to serious injuries and 1 of them died in the hospital. 

In Dabat town, North Gondar zone, at least 4 people, including children and women, were killed and 5 people, including 3 children, were injured due to indiscriminate fire from government security forces during an exchange of fire between government security forces and Fano operating in the area. In addition, at least 6 houses were damaged. 

  • On September 18, 2024, government security forces were travelling from Alem Ber to Wereta in Fogera Woreda, South Gondar Zone, when they exchanged fire with Fano in a place Wej; Eyewitnesses and victims’ families reported that government security forces killed a total of 10 civilians they had met on the road and taken them out of their homes. Among those killed was a teacher named Amare Bayle. It is known that government security forces found him at the door of his house while passing by the area and took him away saying, “We need you” and killed him. The deceased’s family explained the incident, “After they took him away, we kept calling him on his mobile phone until at 5:00 PM, someone picked him up. “We were looking for Amare,” they said, “We left him in the forest, look for him there,” and hung up. “We stayed up late and when we went looking for him in the morning, we found him dumped with another body.” Another person found dead that day was Ato Mangaw Ababu, a young Bajaj driver. Eyewitnesses said that government security forces killed him and burned his Bajaj because of false claims as he “provided transportation services to Fano.” 
  1. From mid-September to mid-October 2024, government security forces went door-to-door in Bibugn Woreda, East Gojjam Zone, and Winiwuha Kebele, arresting 11 civilians claiming “You support Fano” and “You are Fano’s family,” and taking them to a defence camp in Winiwuha Kebele, according to residents and victims’ families interviewed by EHRC. Among them, Ato Yirsaw Anteneh, Ato Addis Mola, and Ato Bizuye Aweke were killed and the burial ceremonies were also prevented, according to sources.  
  1. On October 02, 2024, following an exchange of fire between government security forces and Fano, in the village of “Dog Tooth” in Libo Mekem Woreda, Agde Kebele, South Gondar Zone; government security forces entered the area and went door to door, saying, “you are a Fano family” and “you support Fano,” and killed 8 civilians. Among them were 3 women, including a nine-month pregnant woman, and 1 child. In addition, sources said that 2 civilians were injured and 6 other civilians were abducted, and the whereabouts of the people were unknown at the time of filing this report.  
  • On October 03, 2024, unexploded ordnance fired by government security forces in the South Gondar Zone, Guna Begemdir Woreda, Kimir Dingay town, landed in the courtyard of a house belonging to a person named Ato Gedefaw Aleme, killing two members of his family (Mrs. Fikrealem Alebel and child Yordanos Gedefaw) and seriously injuring two other children. EHRC confirmed that a day before the attack, there had been fighting between Fano and government security forces, but it was understood that there was no fighting on that day.
  • From October 05 to 06, 2024, in East Gojjam Zone, Debay Tilatgen Woreda, Quy town and surrounding kebeles, clashes between government security forces and Fano resulted in civilian casualties and property damage. In particular, on October 06, 2024, a 3-year-old girl named Ngerew was shot by a stray bullet and was taken to Quy Health Centre for medical attention but her family confirmed that she died due to the road being blocked and lack of timely medical care. October 07, 2024 residents interviewed by EHRC explained that three civilians who were burying those who died in the fighting were killed by government security forces, asking them, “Why are you burying them?” One of them was deaf and disabled.  
  • On October 07, 2024, a 70-year-old man named Moges Defersha was killed and two women were injured in repeated airstrikes by government forces in Dagi Kebele, North Gojam Zone, North Mecha Woreda. Residents interviewed by EHRC also reported that the Dagi Health Centre was damaged and four houses were destroyed. They added that there was no fighting at or near the sites of the airstrikes that day and that government security forces and Fano were not present. 
  • On October 11, 2024, following a clash between government security forces and Fano in the North Gojam Zone, South Mecha Woreda, Gerchech town, residents reported that government security members took two people, Ato Gebre Muliye and Ato Mehariw Mekuria, out of their homes and killed them, saying, “You entered your home while fighting with Fano.” 
  • On October 15, 2024, a drone strike in Feres Bet town, Dega Damot Woreda, West Gojam Zone, killed a 4-year-old child named Aman Enyewu and caused minor damage to the building housing the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Feres Bet branch. Residents said that Feres Bet was under the control of Fano at the time of the drone attack.
  1. On November 14, 2024, drone sticks on a camp used by a road construction company in the area of ​​“Tosgn Afaf” in Menz Mama Bash Sub-Worde, North Shewa Zone, killed 2 children and 1 woman, and injured 5 others, according to residents and eyewitnesses. The victims were living in the camp after being displaced from a village called “Worana Cheta” in Bash Kebele due to a landslide 5 years ago. EHRC gathered information that government security forces in the North Wollo Zone fired indiscriminately from Woldia town to Qalim town, causing damage to human life and limb, as well as damage to homes and livestock. Residents reported that Qalim town was under the control of Fano at the time, but there was no exchange of fire in the area at the time of the firing.  
  1. On November 20, 2024, Ato Tegbaru Shife Abebe, a resident of Debre Markos town, was shot dead by government security forces at the Asendabo checkpoint in Quy town while returning from Debay Tilatgen woreda to visit his sister’s husband Tezkar. The victims’ families explained that the perpetrators were found with a photograph of the deceased when they were searched and asked, “Why did you find him with the photograph?” and that they did not allow his body to be removed until noon on November 21, 2024. 
  1. On November 21, 2024, in the Central Gondar Zone, Gondar Zuru Woreda, Lemba Arbaitu Kebele, Arba Tensay Got, following a series of attacks on government security forces by Fano, the government security forces went door to door to collect legal weapons from farmers,  killed three people, Ato Nega Yale (75 years old), Ato Agumase Adugna (45 years old), and Ato Taet Takele (34 years old), in a crowd, according to the victims’ families and eyewitnesses. 
  1. On December 04, 2024, an 83-year-old woman named Emmahoy Desta Kakraw was killed in a drone/air strike in Blabala town, Lasta Woreda, North Wollo Zone, at night. Two Blabala Health Centre workers who were renting the same premises were injured and are receiving treatment.
  1. On December 08, 2024, following an exchange of fire between government security forces and Fano in the East Gojjam Zone, Enarj Enawga Woreda, on December 09, 2024, a 5-year-old child named Banchgze Addis was killed and a 6-year-old child named Ebaabsewe Gete was slightly injured.
  1. On December 13, 2024, five members of a family were killed by government security forces in a special area called Arken, Andabet Woreda, Genete-Mariam Kebele, South Gondar Zone, while they were sleeping in a field to protect their teff crop, the victims’ families told EHRC.