EPO Weekly Update (16 April 2024)

Last week, religious tension due to violence targeting Muslim civilians was reported in Amhara region amid clashes between Fano militias and government security forces in the region, and in Addis Ababa. Meanwhile, a top official of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) was killed in Oromia region. Violence targeting ethnic Amhara civilians was also reported in the region.

Religious Tension in Amhara Region

In Amhara region, attacks targeting Muslim civilians were reported in five towns resulting in at least 10 reported fatalities, an escalation of religious tension that has been growing in the region over the past few years. On 7 April, unidentified armed men shot and killed five Muslim civilians in the region’s capital, Bahir Dar, as they were returning from a mosque. Another three Muslim civilians were killed last week in Gondar town after being attacked by unidentified gunmen. In Motta town, on 9 April, a Muslim civilian was killed after being abducted for ransom two days earlier. In a statement released by the Amhara Region Islamic Affairs Council, 80 Muslim civilians have been targeted and killed in the region over the past eight months.¹

Religious conflicts in Ethiopia occur regularly, and attacks on Muslims in Amhara region in the context of the Fano insurgency are another example of how religious conflicts in Ethiopia are a result of the heightened political tensions rather than a product of expanding religious extremism. In Gojam, for example, Amhara identity is deeply intertwined with the Orthodox Church, and Muslims are often viewed as outsiders who do not share the same political aspirations as their Orthodox neighbors.² In April 2022, 20 Muslims were killed in Gondar city during riots that targeted those attending the funeral of a local shaykh.

Meanwhile, clashes between Fano militias and government forces continued, with fighting reported in North Shewa, North Wello, West Gojam, and North Gondar zones. Dozens of fatalities were reported during fighting in Dabat woreda in North Gondar zone, and Debre Birhan town and Minjar Shenkora woreda in North Shewa zone.

Assassination of OLF Official in Oromia Region

In Oromia region, in the early morning of 10 April, an unknown armed group abducted Bate Urgessa — a senior official of the OLF party — from a hotel in Meki town in East Shewa zone, shooting and killing him before dumping his body at the outskirts of the town. The OLF blamed government security forces,³ while the Oromia regional government statement refuted the claim and indicated that security forces had arrested 13 suspects, including family members of the victim.⁴ The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission called for a “prompt, impartial, and full investigation.”⁵ Traffic was reportedly restricted across a number of locations in Oromia due to a strike declared by unknown parties in connection to the murder.⁶ In February, it was revealed that government security forces dubbed ‘Koree Nageenya’ were responsible for a number of extrajudicial killings in Oromia, including a high-profile case of the death of a number of traditional leaders in East Shewa zone in December 2021⁷ (for more on the killing of traditional leaders in this zone, see the EPO Weekly: 25-31 March 2023; and the EPO Weekly: 27 November-3 December 2021).

Meanwhile, militants from the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) — referred to by the government as the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)-Shane — reportedly attacked ethnic Amhara civilians in Nono woreda in West Shewa zone, killing 11 people before the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) intervened. Additional clashes between the ENDF and OLA/OLF-Shane forces were reported last week in West Shewa, West Wollega, Kellem Wollega, Guji, East Wollega, and Horo Guduru Wollega zones.

Police and Fano Militia Clash in Addis Ababa

In an unprecedented attack, on 12 April, the Addis Ababa and federal police forces clashed with three Fano militia members around Millennium Hall in Bole sub-city, Addis Ababa. Three fatalities occurred, including two Fano members and a civilian taxi driver who was shot by one of the Fano militia members for refusing to help them escape.⁸ In a press briefing held on 13 April, Fano representatives confirmed that the attack was part of a strategy of targeting regime forces. In a private briefing, Fano representatives from multiple fronts specified that the operation in Addis Ababa was a joint operation, part of a long-standing strategy of targeting regime forces where they are stationed in urban areas, and that it was prepared to strike additional targets in Addis Ababa and other cities.⁹ Addis Ababa police stated that the clash occurred when security forces tried to apprehend the suspects who were accused of planning an attack on the city.¹⁰

Armed violence by armed insurgent groups inside Ethiopia’s capital is rare. Last week’s clashes marked an unprecedented occurrence for Fano militias but could occur again in the future by people who reside in Addis Ababa that are sympathetic to the movement’s cause. Issues surrounding the ownership of the capital city is a polarizing issue, a point addressed by ethno-nationalist Amhara and Fanos who oppose a perceived Oromo dominance in the current administration. Eskinder Nega, founder of the Balderas party and later leader of the Amhara Popular Front — now called Amhara Fano People’s Force — was a popular opposition figure in Addis Ababa prior to leaving the city and founding the anti-government insurgent group faction in Amhara region.

Ethiopia at a Glance

• 6-12 April 2024 - The data cover the period from 6 to 12 April 2024. For more information about how ACLED collects data and categorizes events, see the ACLED Codebook. Some events from this coverage period might be included in the data in subsequent weeks due to reporting delays.
• Political Violence Events¹¹: 31
• +13% from previous week
• Demonstration Events¹²: 4
• 0% from previous week

• Event Types
• Battles: 21 Events
• Explosions/Remote Violence: 1  Event
• Violence Against Civilians: 13  Events
• Mob Violence: 0  Events
• Protests: 4  Events
• Violent Demonstrations: 0  Events