Amhara Militia in Ethiopia Warns Resettlement Plan Could Lead to Conflict

Leaders of a militia in Ethiopia’s Amhara region have accused the administration in neighbouring Tigray of “beating a war drum” over plans to return hundreds of thousands of Tigrayans to territories captured by Amhara fighters during a civil war. The disputed territories in northern Ethiopia have been a flashpoint between Tigray and Amhara since the end of a 2020-2022 civil war, in which Amhara militiamen fought alongside the federal government against Tigrayan rebels.

Hundreds of thousands were killed in the war, with some of the worst violence occurring in the territories now in question. Ethnic Tigrayans fled the area, and Amhara fighters established their own governing administration. Tigray’s interim administration vice president, General Tadesse Worede, announced plans to return displaced people to these areas by specific dates, with the disarmament of combatants and the creation of new local governing administrations.

Amhara nationalists claim a historical right to the land and view Tadesse’s comments as provocation, with leaders of the Amhara militia known as Fano warning against any attempts to impose force or invade. Recent clashes between armed Amharas and Tigrayans in the disputed areas have led to around 50,000 people fleeing, according to the United Nations.

The conflict between Fano militiamen and the army has been ongoing since last July, fueled by a sense of betrayal among many Amharas regarding the terms of the peace deal between the federal government and Tigrayan leaders. The federal government has pledged to hold a referendum on the status of the disputed areas, a move rejected by Fano.