Ethiopia claims victory in Amhara cities following days of fighting

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 Aug 2023 20:46

While an official casualty count has not been released, medical professionals at hospitals in two of the impacted cities say numerous civilians had been either killed or wounded.

Members of the Amhara militia, that combat alongside federal and regional forces against northern region of Tigray, ride on the back of a pickup truck in the city of Gondar. (AFP via Getty Images)

The Ethiopian government announced the liberation of significant urban centers within the Amhara region, following a period of conflict between army forces and militants.

While an official casualty count has not been released, medical professionals at hospitals in two of the impacted cities said as reported by AFP that numerous civilians had been either killed or wounded.

In response to clashes between local fighters and federal army troops, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration declared a six-month state of emergency in the region last week.

"These cities have been freed from the threat of these bandits," a statement by a federal government emergency body said Wednesday, listing six towns including the regional capital Bahir Dar and the holy city of Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It said security forces were "clearing" members of the "defeated extremist group" from hideouts including heritage and religious sites.

A curfew has been reportedly established in six cities - Bahir Dar, Lalibela, Gondar, Shewa Robit, Debre Berhan, and Debre Markos - alongside the arrest of 14 individuals in the capital, Addis Ababa. This recent turmoil has arisen merely nine months following the conclusion of a devastating two-year conflict in the neighboring Tigray region, which had also involved Amhara fighters.

Tensions had been escalating since April when the federal government declared the dissolution of regional forces throughout Ethiopia, sparking protests by Amhara nationalists who argued that this move would undermine their region's strength.

It is worth noting that Amhara's regional administration indicated late Tuesday that some semblance of "relative peace and stability" was being restored, although some residents reported gunfire persisting on Wednesday. Ethiopian Airlines also communicated its plan to resume flights to Bahir Dar and Gondar from Thursday, after suspending operations on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, journalistic access to Amhara is restricted, making independent verification of the situation on the ground unfeasible.

Medical crisis looms: Running out of medicine in Amhara region

An undisclosed doctor from Gondar University Hospital revealed that a substantial number of casualties had been recorded, as reported by AFP. The doctor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that approximately 20 individuals succumbed to injuries upon arrival at the hospital, with over 190 people, largely civilians, being admitted for treatment.

This source also conveyed concerns about depleting food and medical supplies, highlighting the dire situation with patients dying due to shortages of oxygen and blood.

In Bahir Dar, a doctor from Felege Hiwot Hospital reported receiving 130 injured civilians, of which 10 had died. The doctor, also choosing to remain anonymous, described the challenging circumstances where people were carrying injured family members on their shoulders and braving risks to traverse the roads on foot. Ambulances had halted operations due to heightened risks in the city. Nonetheless, Ethiopian troops were seen patrolling Bahir Dar, contributing to a seemingly calm environment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reportedly expressed concerns that the ongoing violence had disrupted humanitarian operations in Amhara, a region caught in the conflict between government-backed forces and Tigray rebels. UK charity Save the Children issued a warning, emphasizing the precarious state of children's lives in Amhara and urging the conflicting parties to facilitate access to humanitarian aid.

The November 2022 agreement that quelled hostilities in Tigray faced opposition from many within the Amhara community, the second-largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, which once held significant economic and political influence.