A non-state armed group called Fano took over part of the capital city of Amhara from the Ethiopian military and fierce battles are reportedly raging near the city. DW Amharic service reported that the city witnessed fighting on Friday morning, which went on for several hours. It began around 6:00 a.m. and lasted until 10:00 a.m. The source said that the city was rocked by the sound of heavy artillery.
Residents who talked to Addis Standard said that they heard gunshots on Thursday evening in areas known locally as βAbay Madoβ and βKebele 14.β
A Bahir Dar resident, who asked not to be named, revealed that there was intense exchange of fire involving heavy weapons in the βDiasporaβ area.
The region is off-limits to independent journalists and human rights defenders because of the state of emergency.
Amhara News Service, a new social media platform, shared a video on βXβ (formerly known as Twitter) that shows hundreds of government troops being captured in Gojjam, Amhara region. The video, which is 41 seconds long, shows a group of men, mostly young, being watched by armed men. It also indicates in a separate post on βXβ that 150 Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) soldiers defected and joined Fano/Amhara forces.
Ethiopian Media Service (EMS) said on Friday that it has verified from hospital sources in Bahir Dar that at least 18 government forces have died.
It is also verified, from local sources, that Ethiopian Airlines stopped flights to Bahir Dar on Friday, though no reason was given if it was related to the security situation in the city.
Fano is a non-state militia in Amhara region and widely supported by Amhara people. It recently occurred in Merawi, where government troops killed at least 45 civilians in the town, allegedly after the military suffered huge losses in the area.
