Current:Home > FinanceFresh fighting reported in Ethiopia’s Amhara region between military and local militiamen -Clarity Finance Guides
Fresh fighting reported in Ethiopia’s Amhara region between military and local militiamen
View
Date:2025-04-17 09:03:11
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Fresh fighting erupted in the second-biggest town of Ethiopia’s turbulent Amhara region as militiamen clashed with the military over government plans to disarm local forces.
Fighters from a militia called Fano fought against military units Sunday in the town of Gondar, an important tourist and commercial hub, residents told The Associated Press. “It was very heavy,” said one person reached by telephone who declined to give their name because of safety concerns.
Calm had mostly been restored by Monday morning, with the military back in control of the town, although sporadic gunfire could still be heard, residents said. Shops were shut and the streets were empty.
Other areas of Amhara, including the regional capital Bahir Dar and Lalibela, another important tourist town, did not see fighting, residents said Monday.
Violence gripped Amhara, Ethiopia’s second-most populous state, in early August, with Fano fighters seizing control of several major towns and protesters blocking roads. The military retook control after several days.
In response to the unrest, the government blocked internet access and imposed a state of emergency. The fighting sparked fears of a new civil war following the conflict in the neighboring Tigray region, which ended with a cease-fire in November.
The violence was sparked by a plan initiated in April to disarm the region’s forces, which the government says represent a threat to Ethiopia’s constitutional order. The Amhara ethnic group says they need the forces for protection, citing attacks against their group.
The United Nations said last month the violence had killed over 180 people and the world body expressed concern over a wave of arrests of ethnic Amhara.
Local officials are being targeted for assassination across Amhara, “resulting in the temporary collapse of local state structures in many areas,” Ethiopia’s state-appointed human rights commission said last month.
veryGood! (653)
Related
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Jake Paul, Mike Tyson take their fight to social media ahead of Netflix bout
- Here’s what we know about the allegations against Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara
- Fast wireless EV charging? It’s coming.
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- The Daily Money: Dollar Tree to charge up to $7
- The Louisiana Legislature opened a window for them to sue; the state’s highest court closed it.
- 'Pops love you': Young father of 2 killed during fist fight at Louisiana bar
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Here’s what we know about the allegations against Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara
Ranking
- Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
- Sinking Coastal Lands Will Exacerbate the Flooding from Sea Level Rise in 24 US Cities, New Research Shows
- DJT had a good first day: Trump's Truth Social media stock price saw rapid rise
- When is Tax Day 2024? Deadlines for filing tax returns, extensions and what you need to know
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to announce his VP pick for his independent White House bid
- Missouri attorney general is accused of racial bias for pinning a student fight on diversity program
- A woman accuses a schoolmate of raping her at age 12. The school system says she is making it up.
Recommendation
Bodycam footage shows high
Ahmaud Arbery’s killers ask a US appeals court to overturn their hate crime convictions
Oil and Gas Executives Blast ‘LNG Pause,’ Call Natural Gas a ‘Destination Fuel’
How to watch surprise 5th episode of 'Quiet on Set' featuring Drake Bell and other stars
Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
Biden administration approves the nation’s seventh large offshore wind project
Lego head mugshots add to California’s debate on policing and privacy
Supreme Court seems poised to reject abortion pill challenge after arguments over FDA actions