Defense Force says it arrested “Fano cells” in Dessie for Seducing members into selling guns and deserting  

The “cells” were reportedly engaged in luring  members to sell their firearms  and leave the defense force 

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Toronto – The Ethiopian Defense Force this week said that it has arrested what it called “Fano cells” who were allegedly engaged in luring some defense force members to sell their gun, leave the defense force or desert. They are twenty. 

Defense force news update published this week attributed the story to Lieutenant Tariku Shamebo, commander of   Commando Division Regiment  based in Dessie, North Ethiopia.  

The suspects were given a mission from Dersan, according to the Defense force.

“They were given a mission from Dersan who is leader of the extremist and robber  group to corrupt the army from the regiment,” it said. 

The Defense Force went on to claim that they were arrested under a special operation after “members of the regiment expressed willingness to desert and made firearms available for sale.”  One machine gun, one sniper and four AK 47 were made ready for sale that was meant to be a set up to ensnare “fano cells.” 

The suspects  are under investigation, the commander is cited as saying. 

According to the defense force news update, Wondie Mekonen, one of the suspects, came from Tepi – South Ethiopia – to support “the extremist group with logistics and facilitate supply.” It was unspecified as to when he arrived in Dessie. 

Fantaw Desalew, who was said to be a “fano cell in Dessie”, is cited as saying “conflict with the defense force that pays sacrifice to the nation will leave us in a dangerous situation as a country.” 

The story the defense force claimed is not verified from local Ethiopian news sources. 

In a related development, the defense force has been making claims of significant military gains in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Among others, it said that it “eliminated” 58 “extremists” and arrested five others.  Fano forces have been dismissing Defense Force claims as pure lies. On the other hand, Fano forces this week have reported that they have captured 509 government soldiers from the latest battles in the region. 

Defense force has been repeatedly making claims that it has restored “normalcy” in the region which does not seem to be the case as local news sources are still reporting continued battle between Fano and government soldiers in different parts of the Amhara region. Recent video footage circulating on social media seems to suggest that Fano forces are considerably growing in size. 

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