The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) say they have killed 83 fighters from the armed Fano movement during week-long sweeps in Gojjam and South Gondar, underscoring the endurance of hostilities in Amhara Region despite federal assurances that the conflict is nearly over.
In a statement issued Wednesday, army officials described a “co-ordinated operation” conducted between 25 June and 2 July that also left 39 Fano combatants wounded, 12 captured, and 20 others who reportedly laid down their arms. The military claims to have seized several vehicles along with weapons stockpiles that include 22 Kalashnikov-style rifles, eleven older firearms, one DShK heavy-machine-gun barrel, and more than 250 rounds of ammunition.
The announcement follows comments last month by Chief of Staff Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, who told parliament that 90 percent of federal military objectives in Amhara had been accomplished and that the remaining pockets of armed resistance would soon be neutralised.
On the ground, however, fighting shows few signs of abating. Local outlets sympathetic to Fano report fresh clashes, drone strikes, and ongoing house-to-house searches that have allegedly led to civilian casualties—claims the federal government has neither confirmed nor denied. In April, the ENDF said more than 300 Fano fighters were killed in a single engagement in Gojjam, a figure the militia later disputed.
Analysts note that the security landscape is shifting: recent deployments of regional police and anti-riot units appear intended to assume duties previously handled by federal forces, suggesting Addis Ababa may be looking to reduce its direct footprint even as confrontations continue.
Humanitarian agencies warn that prolonged violence, roadblocks, and periodic drone activity have hampered relief deliveries and raised civilian protection concerns across Amhara’s rural districts.
With neither side signalling readiness for dialogue, observers fear the conflict—now well into its second year—could enter a protracted phase marked by lower-intensity guerrilla war punctuated by high-profile government offensives.