By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia– At least five people were killed and 18 homes burned following a reported clash between Fano militants and government forces in Agona, a town in Este Woreda, South Gondar Zone, eyewitnesses and victims’ families told BBC Amharic.
According to residents, the violence erupted after Fano fighters and government troops unexpectedly encountered each other on the road and exchanged gunfire. The incident reportedly occurred in Agona, which serves as a central hub for the surrounding districts of Gayint, Moja, Este, and Simada.
Witnesses claim that following the skirmish, government forces carried out retaliatory attacks against civilians, accusing them of supporting Fano. One local resident told the BBC the killings began around 9:00 a.m. on Monday, April 15, saying, “Government forces carried out the attack because they suffered casualties in the exchange of fire.”
Eyewitnesses described victims being shot in their homes and on the streets. One resident reported that forces “opened fire in the Kerembula house [Billiards game zone] and the pool hall, massacring those who were playing there,” adding that Fano militants were not present at the time.
A religious leader who lost his 22-year-old brother in the attack said his brother, along with three friends, was killed while hiding in a local pool hall. “He had no connection with Fano. He was a student and farmer,” the grieving brother told the BBC.
Victims included four men and a child who was reportedly fetching water, according to the religious leader. The five were buried the next day at the Agona Mariam church.
Residents claim they identified the attackers as members of the national defense forces by their uniforms and vehicles. One survivor said troops accused locals of supporting Fano, shouting, “If you didn’t exist, Fano wouldn’t exist.”
Later that day, government forces allegedly returned to Agona from the direction of Gayint and set fire to 18 homes. BBC Amharic viewed a video circulating on social media that appears to show burned homes, though it could not independently verify the footage.
Attempts to obtain comments from South Gondar Zone officials and the regional command post have so far been unsuccessful.
BACKGROUND
The violence is part of the broader ongoing conflict between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Fano militia, a loosely organized armed group based in the Amhara region. The Fano militia, originally known for supporting government forces during the Tigray war, has increasingly turned against the state following moves to disarm regional paramilitary groups, which many in Amhara view as a threat to regional autonomy and security.
Tensions escalated in mid-2023 after the federal government launched a controversial campaign to integrate regional special forces into the national army or federal police. In Amhara, many resisted, sparking widespread protests and armed resistance led by Fano. Since then, the region has seen repeated clashes, assassinations, mass arrests, and military crackdowns.
In August 2023, the Ethiopian government declared a state of emergency in Amhara as fighting between federal forces and Fano fighters intensified. Despite this, violence has persisted in multiple zones of the region, including South Gondar, where Monday’s incident occurred.
__
Subscribe : https://borkena.com/subscribe-borkena/
Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena
Like borkena on Facebook
Add your business to Ethiopian Business Listing / Ethiopian Business Directory Business Listing Toronto
Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter) @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly. Subscribe to YouTube channel To share information or for submission, send e-mail to info@borkena.com