THE AMHARA UPRISING: INSIDE ETHIOPIA’S FANO RESISTANCE

A Special Report from the Ethiopian Tribune

By Johnathan Malcolm, Chief Political Correspondent
16 May 2025

Addis Ababa – As the early morning mist settles across the highlands of the Amhara region, government military convoys rumble through deserted villages. The occasional crackle of gunfire punctuates an uneasy silence. Ethiopia, a nation that only recently emerged from the devastating Tigray conflict, finds itself mired in yet another bloody internal struggle that threatens to redraw the political landscape of the Horn of Africa.

Our Ethiopian Tribune investigation reveals the complex dimensions of this growing insurgency, speaking with sources on both sides of the conflict and examining the deeper historical currents that have brought Ethiopia to this critical juncture.

THE WIDENING BATTLEGROUND

“The government claims control, but after sunset, these roads belong to Fano,” whispers a local trader in Bahir Dar, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. “This is not just a small rebellion anymore. It has become a full-scale people’s resistance.”

What began as scattered clashes in April 2023 has metastasised into a formidable insurgency spanning Ethiopia’s second-largest region. By August of that year, Fano forces had launched coordinated offensives against major urban centres, demonstrating both tactical sophistication and widespread popular support.

The humanitarian toll continues to mount:

• More than 100,000 civilians displaced from conflict zones
• An estimated 4.7 million children prevented from attending school
• Critical infrastructure damaged across multiple districts
• Government reports claiming over 300 Fano fighters killed in March 2025 operations alone

The Ethiopian federal government’s deployment of sophisticated weaponry, including armed drones, has failed to quell the resistance. Instead, the insurgency has expanded across a territory three times the size of neighbouring Tigray, stretching military capabilities and challenging government control beyond major cities.

THE FANO PHENOMENON

The term “Fano” carries deep historical resonance in Ethiopian consciousness. Traditionally referring to young patriotic fighters who defend Ethiopia’s interests during times of national crisis, today’s Fano represent a complex amalgamation of former regional special forces, disillusioned youth, and veteran militia members.

“The Amhara have been central to the Ethiopian state formation for centuries,” explains Dr Tewodros Woldegiorgis, historian at Addis Ababa University. “Amharic remains the country’s working language, and the region’s cultural heritage forms a cornerstone of Ethiopian identity. Yet many Amharas now feel themselves treated as second-class citizens in a country they helped build.”

Unlike the hierarchical structure of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) during the previous conflict, Fano operates as a decentralised network of semi-autonomous groups. This has complicated both military efforts to suppress them and attempts at negotiated settlement.

“Different factions maintain different objectives,” notes retired brigadier general Kassahun Mekonen. “Some seek greater regional autonomy and protection of Amhara interests, while more radical elements aim for the complete overthrow of the federal government.”

THE ROOTS OF RESISTANCE

Our investigation identifies three critical turning points that transformed simmering discontent into armed insurgency:

A PROMISE BETRAYED: THE ABIY TRANSITION

When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed rose to power in 2018, he rode a wave of optimism built upon an alliance between Oromo and Amhara reformist elements within the ruling coalition. This partnership successfully challenged the decades-long dominance of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

“We genuinely believed in the possibility of a more equitable Ethiopia,” says former regional official Dawit Gebreselassie, now living in exile. “But those hopes disintegrated rapidly.”

The dissolution of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front coalition in December 2019 and the formation of the Prosperity Party marked a pivotal shift. Though ostensibly creating a pan-Ethiopian political structure, many Amhara leaders perceived the new arrangement as consolidating power under an Oromo-dominated leadership.

A series of troubling developments followed:

• The assassination of Amhara Regional President Ambachew Mekonnen in June 2019
• Removal or detention of outspoken Amhara political figures
• Increasing reports of ethnically-targeted violence against Amhara communities in Oromia and other regions
• Growing perceptions of “Oromumma” (Oromo nationalism) guiding federal policy

“The transition was systematically mismanaged,” argues political analyst Yared Debebe of the University of Gondar. “What began as a reform process gradually transformed into another iteration of ethnic dominance, merely shifting which group held the levers of power.”

THE TIGRAY WAR AFTERMATH

The peace agreement ending the Tigray conflict in November 2022 further alienated many within the Amhara region. Having fought alongside federal forces against the TPLF, Amhara constituencies found themselves excluded from the negotiations and their interests overlooked in the final settlement.

“The peace deal left crucial territorial disputes unresolved,” explains conflict researcher Amanuel Tesfaye. “Areas such as Welkait, where historical claims to land overlap, remained in an ambiguous status while the Tigray Defence Forces, numbering some 200,000 fighters, were permitted to maintain arms.”

The federal government’s subsequent decision to disband regional special forces throughout Ethiopia in April 2023 struck many Amharas as deliberately timed to weaken their defences. Public demonstrations against this directive quickly escalated into violent confrontations with federal troops, providing the spark that ignited the current conflict.

EXISTENTIAL FEARS: THE SPECTRE OF ETHNIC TARGETING

Perhaps the most emotionally potent driver of the insurgency has been the widespread perception among Amharas that they face systematic persecution throughout Ethiopia.

Our investigation documented numerous testimonies regarding:

• Massacres targeting Amhara civilians in Wollega and other parts of Oromia region
• Forced displacement of Amhara communities from various regional states
• Harassment, arbitrary detention, and disappearances of Amhara individuals
• Limited federal response to security incidents affecting Amhara populations

“There is a deep-seated fear that what we are witnessing is not random violence but a coordinated attempt to diminish Amhara influence and presence,” says human rights advocate Selamawit Demissie. “This fear, whether fully justified or not, has become a powerful mobilising force behind the resistance.”

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE: FORCE AND FRAGMENTATION

The federal government’s approach to the insurgency has relied primarily on military force, supplemented by limited overtures towards negotiation.

A state of emergency declared in August 2023 granted authorities sweeping powers to detain suspects without charge and impose curfews. While officially lifted in June 2024, residents report that many restrictions remain in effect. Military deployments continue across the region, with periodic offensives aimed at dislodging Fano from rural strongholds.

“The government’s strategy appears to be threefold,” observes security analyst Mesfin Abebe. “Military suppression of active resistance, fragmentation of the Fano movement through separate negotiations with amenable factions, and information control through internet restrictions and media blackouts.”

Government spokesperson Henok Gebrehiwot defended the administration’s approach: “We remain open to dialogue with those who renounce violence and recognise the constitutional order. However, we cannot negotiate with armed groups that threaten national unity and stability.”

Sources close to peace initiatives tell the Ethiopian Tribune that back-channel discussions have indeed occurred with certain Fano representatives, but these have yielded limited progress. The government’s insistence on individual surrender rather than comprehensive political negotiations has been a persistent stumbling block.

REGIONAL IMPLICATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

The conflict carries significant implications beyond Ethiopia’s borders. Neighbouring countries fear potential refugee flows and regional destabilisation, while international partners express concern about the humanitarian situation and the potential derailment of Ethiopia’s economic development agenda.

Unlike during the Tigray war, however, international engagement with the Amhara conflict has been notably subdued. Western powers have issued occasional statements urging restraint and dialogue, but have not applied significant diplomatic pressure.

“There appears to be a degree of conflict fatigue regarding Ethiopia,” notes diplomat-turned-analyst Yohannes Tekle. “Having invested considerable political capital in resolving the Tigray conflict, many international actors seem reluctant to engage deeply with yet another Ethiopian crisis.”

This relative international disinterest has granted the federal government greater latitude in its approach to the insurgency, but may also limit pathways to sustainable resolution.

PATHS FORWARD: BEYOND MILITARY SOLUTIONS

As the conflict approaches its third year with no end in sight, experts emphasise that military victory for either side appears increasingly unlikely.

“The Fano enjoy substantial popular support and operate across familiar terrain,” notes conflict researcher Tsegaye Hailu. “Conversely, the federal government maintains superior firepower and resources. This creates conditions for a protracted stalemate unless political solutions are prioritised.”

Research by conflict specialists suggests several necessary components for sustainable peace:

1. Comprehensive dialogue involving all factions of the resistance, civil society representatives, and diaspora voices
2. Confidence-building measures including the release of detained Amhara politicians, journalists, and activists
3. Territorial dispute resolution through inclusive processes that acknowledge historical claims
4. Constitutional reform addressing the balance between ethnic federalism and national unity
5. Security guarantees for vulnerable Amhara communities throughout Ethiopia

“Ultimately, Ethiopia’s recurring conflicts stem from an unresolved tension between ethnic autonomy and national cohesion,” concludes political scientist Professor Eyob Teklu. “Until this fundamental contradiction is addressed through inclusive political processes rather than force, the country will likely continue cycling through periods of conflict.”

As darkness falls over the Amhara highlands, the sound of distant gunfire serves as a stark reminder that Ethiopia’s experiment with ethnic federalism faces its most serious test yet. The outcome will determine not only the future of the Amhara region but potentially the viability of the Ethiopian state as currently constituted.

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This Ethiopian Tribune special report was compiled through interviews with government officials, opposition figures, academic experts, and civilians affected by the conflict. Some sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. The Ethiopian Tribune remains committed to independent, factual reporting on Ethiopia’s political developments.