EPO Weekly: 25-31 March 2023

• Total number of political violence events: 1,153
• Total number of reported fatalities from political violence: 6,238
• Total number of reported fatalities from civilian targeting: 2,634

• Total number of political violence events: 9
• Total number of reported fatalities from political violence: 6
• Total number of reported fatalities from civilian targeting: 3

Ethiopia data are available through a curated EPO data file as well as the main ACLED export tool.

Situation Summary

ACLED records nine political violence events in Ethiopia last week, with eight of those being recorded in Oromia region (see map below). The political violence events in Oromia included three battle events and five violence against civilian events. Most of these incidents were concentrated in East Shewa and North Shewa zones.

On 25 March, the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)-Shane reportedly abducted over 100 civilians in Babu Dire, Mankat, Jiru, Ada Melke, Keru Siba, Harbu Dire, and Hamuma Gindo kebeles in Dera woreda, North Shewa zone, after destroying civilian homes.² Two days later, on 27 March, the group also abducted three other civilians in the woreda. The abductees were released the same day after government forces clashed with members of the OLF-Shane in Jimma Ber area in Dera woreda. The armed clashes continued the next day in unspecified locations of the woreda. It is not known as of yet if these clashes resulted in any casualties.

In Fentale woreda, East Shewa zone, security forces beat 18 elders, including the current leader of Karrayyu Abbaa Gadaa (traditional leader of Karrayyu tribe), for an unknown reason in Arda Jila area on 25 March. Two days later, the leader of Karrayyu Abbaa Gadaa died due to his injuries from the beating.³ Two days before the attack, on 23 March, government forces and the OLF-Shane clashed in Bole area at the border of Boset and Merti woredas in East Shewa zone. The two sides also clashed in Fentale woreda on 26 March. Over two years ago, security forces shot and killed 14 members of Karrayyu Abbaa Gadaa in Fentale woreda on 1 December 2021. A day before these extrajudicial killings, an unidentified armed group had ambushed security forces in Iftu area in Haro Kersa kebele in Fentale woreda, killing 11 Oromia regional special forces members and injuring at least seven members of Oromia state police. The security forces were returning to Metehara after conducting a “security operation” in Fentale woreda when they were ambushed.⁴

Furthermore, on 30 March, unidentified gunmen shot and killed the head of the ruling Prosperity Party office in Nekemte while he was heading to his office. Assassination of government officials and government supporters is common in the region, mostly in western Oromia. From April 2018 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took power until March 2023, ACLED records 29 violence against civilian events targeting government officials in Oromia, with 66 reported fatalities. Several mayors, administrators, deputy administrators, and heads of government sectors have been killed by unidentified gunmen, likely linked with OLF-Shane’s urban operatives known as Aba Torbe.⁵

Violence in connection with the recent demolition of houses in the newly established Sheger city – the former Finfine special zone – in Oromia region continued. Last week, individuals who confronted demolition crews sent to demolish their homes in Lege Tafo area were beaten by security forces – assumed to be members of the Oromia regional special forces. The security forces also opened fire and wounded at least one woman.

In Somali region, on 26 and 27 March, residents of Aysha town in Ayisha woreda, Siti zone, closed the Ethio-Djibouti highway and railway to demonstrate against the displacement of ethnic Somali civilians by Afar armed groups. The demonstrators demanded that the government return the internally displaced people to their original place of residence. Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) commanders held discussions with community elders and convinced them to open the blocked highway. However, some demonstrators refused to open the highway and demanded that the government first “return Somalis to their land.”⁶ As a result, on 27 March, members of the ENDF reportedly shot and killed three civilians and wounded six others when the ENDF attempted to forcefully open the blocked highway.

Several new developments in connection with the northern Ethiopia conflict were reported last week. On 28 March, ENDF forces took control of the administration center of Abergele woreda, Niyer Aku town, in Wag Hamera zone in Amhara region. Since July 2021, parts of Abergele woreda have been controlled by members of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) forces and Agew Democracy Movement militias. ENDF regained control of the town after consultation with both armed groups. Tsagibji woreda of Wag Hamera zone is still under the control of TPLF forces. They took control of the woreda in July 2021 (for information on the recent armed clashes between TPLF forces and local kebele militias in Tsgibji woreda, see EPO Weekly: 4-10 February 2023).⁷

Additionally, on 30 March, the Ministry of Justice withdrew the lawsuit against the civil and military leaders of the TPLF.⁸ As a result, 36 members of the TPLF were released from prison in Addis Ababa.⁹ According to the Ministry of Justice, the lawsuit was withdrawn because of a consensus reached to deal with this case “in the framework of transitional justice” based on the peace agreement signed between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF in November 2022 in Pretoria, South Africa.¹⁰ Reports also indicate that the federal government has agreed to release federal budget support to Tigray region interim administration, starting from this week. It is not yet confirmed whether the budget was released this week.¹¹ While the peace process is proceeding, there are concerns that Eritrean forces are still occupying parts of Tigray region, in direct violation of the peace agreement.¹²

Lastly, on 25 March, Prime Minister Abiy traveled to the administration center of Gurage zone, Welkite, in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples region (SNNPR) to consult with local residents regarding their request for the zone to be recognized as a region.¹³ For years, residents in Gurage zone have been requesting to identify the zone as a region. However, the government has proposed establishing several ‘cluster regions’ in SNNPR consisting of multiple zones rather than establishing a region for one specific ethnic group (for more details, see EPO Monthly: July 2022). During the prime minister’s visit, residents of Welkite town protested by staying at their homes after accusing the people selected for the consultation with the prime minister of not having “knowledge about the zone and the town.”¹⁴ In the past few months, residents have conducted at least five ‘stay at home’ protests in connection with the self-administration request.¹⁵ An unidentified number of people, including members of zonal and regional councils, were arrested on accusations of organizing the protests.¹⁶ Since 24 November 2022, the area has been administered by a command post led by the federal police and the SNNPR regional special forces (for more information, see EPO Weekly: 19-25 November 2022).