Ethiopian soldiers killed two dozen civilians in house-to-house searches, residents say

According to six local residents, Ethiopian soldiers killed roughly two dozen civilians in the Amhara region during house-to-house searches. This incident occurred after the soldiers were attacked by militiamen who have been engaged in a month-long battle against federal forces. However, the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), the federal government, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed have not provided any comments regarding this matter. The victims, including children and the elderly, were not affiliated with the militia. The residents, afraid of reprisals, requested anonymity. One resident witnessed the soldiers killing his brother, while others heard gunshots and learned about the killings from their neighbors. It should be noted that Reuters has been unable to independently verify the residents’ accounts.

Although the government has not addressed the allegations of human rights abuses committed by their forces during the conflict in Amhara, they previously stated that ENDF troops respected human rights during a separate conflict in the neighboring Tigray region. The Majete residents claim that fighters from the Fano militia attacked an ENDF position in town, leading to several hours of clashes. Following the cessation of fighting, soldiers began conducting searches in the area. The residents, including two priests from local churches where the victims were buried, reported that 29 to 30 people were killed.

Three residents stated that three victims died from shelling, while another three were believed to have been killed by civilians from a rival ethnic community who had come to support the military. In a statement, Enat, an opposition party in Ethiopia, accused the soldiers of “mercilessly” killing 29 civilians during the house-to-house searches on Sunday. One resident recounted witnessing his 62-year-old brother being shot by soldiers who forcibly entered their family compound. Another resident described how his brother, aged 29 or 30, was killed at the gate of their family home.

The following day, soldiers summoned Majete residents to a meeting with a senior officer. According to one resident who attended, the officer claimed they were unable to find those responsible for the initial attack and threatened the residents, stating they would be eliminated if any further bullets were fired. The conflict in Amhara arose due to grievances among many residents who believed that federal authorities were undermining the region’s security. The United Nations has called on all parties to cease killings and human rights abuses and reported that at least 183 people have been killed in the Amhara conflict so far.

Due to internet outages across Amhara since the beginning of the conflict, confirming many reported incidents has been challenging. The conflict in Amhara erupted just nine months after a peace agreement ended a two-year civil war in the neighboring Tigray region. The United Nations has accused all sides involved in the Tigray conflict of committing violations that may constitute war crimes. Fano fighters, who had previously fought alongside the Ethiopian military in the Tigray war, captured major towns at the beginning of the current conflict but were subsequently pushed back by federal troops. Clashes between the factions continue in more remote areas.

Reporting by Nairobi Newsroom; Editing by Alex Richardson