Ethiopian government troops have killed dozens of civilians last month in a town in the country’s Amhara region, according to residents, who said the bloodshed took place after clashes with local militia. The killings are one of the deadliest episodes in Amhara since last year over a disputed plan to disarm regional forces.
The Fano fought alongside Ethiopia’s federal military in the two-year civil war against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which ended in November 2022. According to the Ethiopian Human Rights Council the total death toll more than 80 civilians. It released a statement calling for further investigations. It did not say who it believed carried out the killings, but called on the government to “hold the responsible parties legally accountable”.
According to the latest news dozens of people have starved to death amid a heavy drought and the after-effects of the Tigray war, which spilled into Amhara. Hundreds more starvation deaths have been reported in Tigray.
The European Union gave out a statement on the latest developments in Amhara. The statement says, that The European Union is seriously concerned by the alleged targeted killings of civilians in the town of Merawi, in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. At the same time EU calls for an independent investigation into these events.
« The recent extension of the state of emergency in this region is a worrying development as it can seriously limit the human rights of the population there. » -the statement says.
The EU reaffirms its readiness to support any process leading to dialogue, reconciliation and peace to find a political settlement to the current conflict. The EU urges all Ethiopians to take the path of dialogue.
« Only a peaceful solution will bring a sustainable end to the conflicts in the country.” -stated in the statement.
