EPO Weekly Update (9 April 2024)

Fighting between Fano militias and government forces continued in Amhara region, which also saw grenade attacks. Protests continued in Tigray region, while clashes and violence targeting civilians occurred in Oromia region. Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions arose between Somalia and Ethiopia.

Continued Fighting in Amhara Region

In Amhara region, fighting between Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and Fano militias was reported in North Wello, South Gondar, South Wello Central Gondar, Wag Hamra, and West Gojam zones. While clashes continue with regularity, the overall intensity of the conflict in Amhara region appears to have significantly subsided since the end of February. Last week, the ENDF Command Post of Central Shewa — established to oversee the implementation ofthe state of emergency — announced the reopening of the road linking Debre Berhan, Shewa Robit, and Dessie towns following the closure of the road in late February due to insecurity.¹

On 4 April, a student with suspected ties to Fano threw a grenade at the preparatory school where he studied in Finote Selam town, West Gojam zone, wounding at least 27 fellow students. Later in the day, an unidentified armed group stopped a car that was transporting wounded students to the hospital and abducted the driver, taking his car and leaving the injured students by the roadside.² Another grenade was thrown by an unidentified person in Ehel Gebya market in Finote Selam town on 6 April, injuring at least 27 civilians, most of whom were women.³ The Amhara Region Government Communication accused an “extremist group” of carrying out the attack.⁴ The use of hand grenades has been prevalent in urban areas of Amhara region, accounting for 13 incidents over the past year.

Protests in Tigray Region

On 5 April, hundreds of Mekele University students staged a protest in the capital city of Tigray, Mekele, opposing an extended graduation date. Tigray state police intervened, assaulting demonstrators, firing in the air, and arresting 10 students. An unidentified number of protestors were injured. Police stated that its forces dispersed the protest, as the protestors failed to notify the regional government in advance.⁵

Separately, on 31 March, ethnic Amhara protesters gathered in Korem town in Southern Tigray zone, asking the federal government to address clashes between Amhara and Tigray forces in the disputed territories between Tigray and Amhara regions. Clashes in border areas ignited in February and continued in March, threatening the Pretoria peace agreement. On 4 April, the government’s communication service accused the Tigray region of “activities against the peace agreement” and reemphasized its intention to resolve the status of disputed territories through referendum only.⁶ The Southern Tigray zone administration refuted this accusation and continued to blame Amhara forces for the recent clashes in the zone.⁷

Violence in Oromia Region

Clashes continued between the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) — referred to by the government as the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)-Shane — and the government forces in Oromia region, with fighting reported in West Wollega and Guji zones during the last week. Meanwhile, following clashes in Kondala woreda, West Wollega zone, government forces reportedly shot and killed a civilian whom they accused of supporting the OLA/OLF-Shane. On 4 April, OLA/OLF-Shane militants reportedly killed a number of ethnic Amhara civilians in Amaye woreda, West Shewa zone.⁸ In another incident of civilian targeting by government forces in the region, 20 civilians were reportedly killed in Tole woreda, South West Shewa zone, on 4 April. The Oromo Liberation Front party denounced the killings and accused the government of consistently using force against unarmed populations.⁹

Ethiopia’s Relations with Somalia

On 4 April, Somalia announced that it would be expelling Ethiopia’s ambassador and recalling its own ambassador from Addis Ababa in an escalation of tensions surrounding the signing of a memorandum of understanding earlier this year between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a self-declared autonomous state.¹⁰ Escalations occurred last week after officials from Puntland, one of the federal states in Somalia, met with Ethiopian officials to discuss “trade, investment, energy cooperation, and joint infrastructure projects.”¹¹ The relationship between Puntland and the Somali federal government deteriorated after the Puntland government rejected the Somali federal government's authority following the new changes to Somalia’s constitution.¹²

Ethiopia at a Glance
30 March-5 April 2024

Data cover the period of 30 March to 5 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 Events¹³: 25
• +7% from previous week
• Demonstration Events¹⁴: 4
• +300% from previous week

• Battles: 16 Events
• Explosions/Remote Violence: 2 Events
• Violence Against Civilians: 9 Events
• Mob Violence: 0 Events
• Protests: 1 Event
• Violent Demonstrations: 0 Events