The Amhara Fano’s “Operation Unity,” now in its third week, intensified yesterday and today with coordinated offensives across northern Ethiopia’s Amhara region. Fighting erupted in Bahr Dar, the regional capital, alongside Sekela, Lasta, and several other towns. In Wollo, Fano forces struck near towns such as Meket, Woldia, and Dessie, reportedly inflicting heavy casualties on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s forces. Meanwhile, in Gondar, clashes around Dabat and adjacent areas have further stretched government defenses, signaling a push by Fano to expel federal forces from the Amhara region.
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Fano, a decentralized network rooted in traditional Amhara civil defense, has long served as a grassroots protector of local communities. Its modern resurgence began under the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)-dominated federal government, which ruled Ethiopia for nearly three decades until 2018. Perceived as a counterweight to TPLF influence, Fano’s role expanded amid ethnic tensions and security vacuums. The group’s momentum surged two years ago when Abiy Ahmed’s administration, after ending the 2020-2022 Tigray War, moved to disarm regional militias—including those in Amhara—sparking widespread resistance. Many in the region saw the disarmament as an assault on their autonomy, galvanizing Fano into a more unified and militarized force.
Launched in mid-March 2025, “Operation Unity” represents an evolution in Fano’s strategy. For the first time, forces from Gojjam, Gondar, Wollo, and Shewa have aligned under a shared objective: to challenge the authority of Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party-led federal government. The operation’s name underscores this unprecedented coordination. Each Fano force contributes distinct strengths—Gojjam’s numerical strength, Gondar’s battle hardened fighters, Wollo’s rugged terrain, and Shewa’s proximity to central power—making this a formidable campaign.
Currently, Fano forces claim control over 80 percent of the Amhara region, which has pushed Abiy Ahmed’s government to the brink. The federal administration, already strained by economic woes and unrest in regions like Oromia, now faces a dire threat in Amhara, a cultural and political heartland of Ethiopia. As “Operation Unity” presses forward, Ethiopia stands at a crossroads, its future shaped by the outcome of this northern insurgency.
