Amhara Conflict Enters Second Year Amid Humanitarian Collapse

By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter 

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia- As Ethiopia’s Amhara region approaches the second year of ongoing armed conflict, residents report worsening violence and deepening humanitarian devastation. According to BBC Amharic, heavy clashes between government forces and Fano militia have escalated in recent weeks, causing widespread casualties and disrupting every aspect of civilian life.

The conflict, which began in April 2023, erupted shortly after the end of the Tigray war. Human rights groups cited by BBC Amharic have documented a wide range of abuses across the region, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, disappearances, looting, and destruction of property.

Although a ten-month state of emergency officially ended in May 2024, experts say Amhara remains under a de facto emergency, with heavy military presence and tight restrictions on daily life. “This is a multi-layered and complex crisis,” one human rights expert told the BBC, requesting anonymity.

Education, healthcare, and economic activity have nearly ground to a halt. The regional government reports that 4.2 million students—60% of all school-aged children—are out of school. Healthcare infrastructure is collapsing under the weight of war, with 148 mothers dying from childbirth complications and 70 malaria-related deaths recorded in just six months. More than 5,000 women have reported cases of rape—though experts believe the actual figure is much higher.

In the historic city of Lalibela, tourism—once the main source of income—is gone. “There’s practically no movement,” said Estalu Kelemu, head of the city’s tourist guides association. “The city’s residents and guides are facing immense hardship.” One guide, a father of three, said, “Life has become unbearable. If it weren’t for my children, I wouldn’t want to live.”

Food insecurity, inflation, and public service breakdowns are becoming the norm across the region. Residents told BBC Amharic that prices of staples like teff have more than doubled, while teachers and civil servants go unpaid for months. Government employees, particularly in Fano-controlled areas, are reportedly selling household belongings to survive. Banking systems in rebel-held zones are paralyzed, and residents are unable to access their own money.

The crisis has also devastated the region’s health system. A report reviewed by BBC Amharic indicated that 969 health facilities have been damaged or looted, while over 1,000 medical professionals have fled or been killed. Many ambulances have been commandeered by armed groups, leaving patients—especially pregnant women—without emergency transport. In one heartbreaking case, a woman named Bizuwork lost her baby after a three-day delay in reaching a hospital due to local insecurity. “He was fine before. But we came too late,” she told the BBC.

Amid these conditions, 200,000 people are now in critical need of food assistance, yet aid efforts have been suspended in several areas due to safety concerns. Religious leaders, healthcare workers, and everyday citizens all echoed the same sentiment: the region is breaking under the weight of war.

The roots of the conflict run deep. Political analysts and former officials, including  Geddu Andargachew, told BBC Amharic that unresolved questions around power, representation, and state structure contributed to the unrest. The Fano militia, initially seen as allies during the Tigray war, became viewed as a threat after the Pretoria peace deal, especially when they refused to disarm. As extensively reported by other Ethiopian local news sources, the Fano forces claim their mission is  reverse existential threat against ethnic Amhara. Tens of thousands of ethnic Amhara have been massacred in Oromia and Benishangul regions in the past seven years. 

Now, the Amhara region is split between government-controlled cities and Fano-held rural areas. Local administrators live under protection in camps where the government speculates threats. “The region is being destroyed to a level that will make recovery difficult,” said Gedu, adding that Amhara is regressing by 30 to 40 years.

With no end in sight, residents are left to navigate an impossible reality. As one resident in Merawi put it, “We are barely surviving.”

Edited by Dimetros Birku 

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