By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – A police commander was shot and killed Wednesday in Debre Markos, East Gojjam of Amhara region, in an incident authorities say is part of a broader campaign of targeted violence by “extremist groups,” a term used to refer to the Fano militia.
The incident occurred in Kebele 04 of the King Teklehaymanot Sub-city near the town’s main traffic lights, at a local shoe-shining spot. According to the Debre Markos City Administration Police Department, Deputy Commander Zelalem Tilayehun, member of the East Gojjam Zone Police Department, was fatally shot by an unidentified assailant using a “Star” pistol. The attacker attempted to escape the scene in a Bajaj tuk-tuk (a three wheel vehicle) but was later killed by pursuing security forces after refusing to surrender and opening fire.
Authorities recovered two pistols and an F-1 grenade from the scene. The suspect’s Bajaj vehicle was reportedly set ablaze during the firefight.
Police officials believe the attack is part of a pattern of violence being orchestrated by armed elements they describe as “extremists” seeking to destabilize cities through assassinations, robbery, and other criminal activities.
The killing of Commander Zelalem is the latest in a growing list of deadly attacks targeting government and security officials in the Amhara region, which has been embroiled in conflict since federal forces launched operations against the Fano militia, Amhara armed group.
A series of targeted killings in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region has claimed the lives of multiple government and security officials in recent years, highlighting escalating insecurity. Most recently, on March 11, 2025, Werebabo District Administrator Fentaw Kebede, Chief Inspector Adis Zemen Fiseha, and driver Kebede Endris were killed by what authorities described as “armed extremist forces.” Previous incidents include the assassination of Prosperity Party official Derbe Belete in Kobo in November 2024, several security officials in North Shewa and East Gojam in 2023, and high-profile killings in Shewa Robit in 2022, all attributed to unidentified or militant groups.
The federal government has consistently denied targeting ethnic Amhara figures, instead framing its actions as efforts to restore law and order. However, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have raised concerns over extrajudicial killings and politically motivated arrests in the region.
The ongoing violence has escalated since the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) launched military operations in Amhara following the federal government’s decision to dissolve regional special forces in early 2023. This move, which activists and some regional leaders from Amhara saw as an attempt to weaken regional autonomy, triggered widespread resistance and armed confrontations with the Fano militia.
As instability deepens, calls for dialogue and de-escalation are growing louder from both local elders and international observers. But with a rising death toll and continued clashes, the path to peace remains uncertain in one of Ethiopia’s most volatile regions, Amhara.
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