Amhara region largely calm after Ethiopia govt says forces drove back local militia fighters. Cities now under military control, residents report.
The government said Wednesday it had imposed curfews in six major cities hit by the unrest in the northern region, including the capital Bahir Dar and the holy city of Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The State of Emergency General Directorate announced the move after declaring that the armed forces had “freed” the cities from local fighters it described as bandits.There has been no official casualty toll, but hospital doctors in two of the affected cities told AFP on Wednesday that scores of civilians caught up in the violence had been killed or injured.
“The ENDF has regained ground in many places and controls the major cities,” one aid worker based in the city of Dessie said on condition of anonymity. “However, scores of districts are still in the hands of Fano fighters in the South Wollo area (of which Dessie is the administrativeGet unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Africa. Unlocked.