Ethiopia's Amhara region under curfew as government drives back militia

Six cities hit by fighting in Ethiopia's northern region of Amhara, including the regional capital Bahir Dar and the holy city of Lalibela, are under curfew after the federal government announced it had "freed" them from militiamen. The region has been in a state of emergency since last week after violence erupted between the military and local fighters.

Amhara Fano militia fighters walk in the ransacked terminal at Lalibela's airport, on 7 December 2021. © AFP - SOLAN KOLLI

The government on Wednesday said most cities in the region had been liberated from what it called "bandits".

A statement by a federal government emergency body listed six towns including Bahir Dar, the second-largest city Gondar and Lalibela, a Unesco World Heritage site.

It said the cities would remain under curfew until 23 August. Private vehicles are not allowed on the streets after 7pm and public rallies have been banned.

There has been no official casualty toll from the unrest, but hospital doctors in two of the affected cities told French news agency AFP on Wednesday that scores of civilians had been killed or injured.

In Lalibela, a resident told the Associated Press that more than a dozen civilians died during a battle with the military that lasted until Wednesday.

Meanwhile an aid worker in Bahir Dar said the fighting was "very bad, with many civilians killed".

State of emergency

Ethiopia has rushed soldiers to Amhara since it declared a six-month state of emergency in the region on Friday. 

The violence erupted over attempts by the federal government to dismantle regional paramilitaries across Ethiopia after the end of a two-year conflict in the Tigray region.

Militia in Amhara, which neighbours Tigray, fought alongside Ethiopia's military in that conflict. They now accuse the federal government of trying to weaken Amhara's defences by ordering its forces to disband, which the government denies. 

Map of the Amhara and Tigray region in Ethiopia © AFP

Fighting broke out in early August between the military and an Amhara militia known as Fano.

Local authorities last week asked the federal government for assistance managing security as the situation had become "difficult to control".

According to the emergency decree, street rallies and gatherings are banned, while anyone found violating its provisions could face imprisonment for up to ten years.

The decree also allows the authorities to declare curfews and for suspects to be searched and held without a warrant.

Rights concerns

Human Rights Watch has expressed concern that the restrictions undermine fundamental freedoms.

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"Increased reports of casualties are emerging amidst a deepening crisis in Ethiopia's Amhara region," HRW's expert Laetitia Bader wrote on Twitter.

She warned that the "sweeping state of emergency" risks further abuses and urged the international community not to "ease its scrutiny" on the crisis.

Increased reports of casualties are emerging amidst a deepening crisis in #Ethiopia’s #Amhara region. Add to this the gov’ts sweeping state of emergency that risks further abuses, clear now is not the time for the intl community to ease its scrutiny @hrw https://t.co/YSncG3ELMv pic.twitter.com/lVe6l7Afmc

— Laetitia Bader (@LaetitiaBader) August 9, 2023

Meanwhile Save The Children is calling for humanitarian aid access to continue in Amhara.

"Lives of families and children are being put at risk as the Amhara region faces an alarming escalation of conflict only nine months after a truce ended two years of violence," the NGO said.

(with newswires)