Teens Killed in Crossfire Amidst Ongoing Clashes in Amhara Region, Reports Allege

ADDIS ABABA – Two teenagers were reportedly killed in the North Wollo Zone of Ethiopia’s Amhara region, caught in the crossfire of a sudden firefight between the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and Fano militants, according to a report from Meseret Media. The incident is said to have occurred in a locality known as Gobye in the Raya Kobo area.

Sources cited by the outlet stated that one of the teenagers, Desale Kassa, was killed at the entrance of his home. In addition to the two fatalities, a mother was also reportedly severely injured during the exchange of fire.

Local residents have voiced increasing desperation, stating that civilians, particularly children, youth, and farmers, are consistently the primary victims whenever clashes erupt between the military and Fano fighters. The report highlighted a history of similar incidents in the area, creating a climate of fear and loss among the population.

This event follows other recent reports of civilian casualties in the region. Meseret Media also referenced a separate incident that allegedly occurred three days prior in the Central Gondar Zone. According to their report, Fano militants launched an attack on government soldiers in the town of Gedebge, Wegera district. In the aftermath, federal troops are accused of carrying out reprisal attacks against the town’s residents.

Information purportedly from hospital sources and Gedebge residents indicates that 11 people, most of them over the age of 50, were killed in this alleged retaliation. “Five people, including an 80-year-old man with no connection to Fano, were killed in one spot, dragged from their homes and executed,” a resident told the outlet, adding that other killings occurred elsewhere in the town.

While these specific incidents reported by Meseret Media have not been independently verified by major international news outlets, they are consistent with the broader pattern of the ongoing conflict in the Amhara region. The conflict, which escalated in 2023, has been characterized by intense fighting between the ENDF and the Fano militia, with numerous reports from human rights organizations detailing significant civilian casualties, drone strikes, and mass arrests. Both sides have been accused of committing serious human rights abuses. The volatile security situation and restrictions on access often make it difficult to get timely and independently corroborated information from the conflict zones.