Situation Summary

Fighting between Fano militias and government forces continued in Amhara region, which also saw grenade attacks. Protests continued in Tigray region, while clashes and violence targeting civilians occurred in Oromia region. Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions arose between Somalia and Ethiopia.

Continued Fighting in Amhara Region

In Amhara region, fighting between Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and Fano militias was reported in North Wello, South Gondar, South Wello Central Gondar, Wag Hamra, and West Gojam zones. While clashes continue with regularity, the overall intensity of the conflict in Amhara region appears to have significantly subsided since the end of February. Last week, the ENDF Command Post of Central Shewa — established to oversee the implementation of the state of emergency — announced the reopening of the road linking Debre Berhan, Shewa Robit, and Dessie towns following the closure of the road in late February due to insecurity.¹VOA Amharic, ‘ Priority to peace was requested, as the Debre Birhan – Dessie road opens after a month,’ 7 April 2024

On 4 April, a student with suspected ties to Fano threw a grenade at the preparatory school where he studied in Finote Selam town, West Gojam zone, wounding at least 27 fellow students. Later in the day, an unidentified armed group stopped a car that was transporting wounded students to the hospital and abducted the driver, taking his car and leaving the injured students by the roadside.²dAlemnew Mekonen, Shewaye Legese, and Eshete Bekele, ‘West Gojam zone administrator stated that 34 people were injured due to an explosion,’ DW Amharic, 8 April 2024 Another grenade was thrown by an unidentified person in Ehel Gebya market in Finote Selam town on 6 April, injuring at least 27 civilians, most of whom were women.³Alemnew Mekonen, Shewaye Legese, and Eshete Bekele, ‘West Gojam zone administrator stated that 34 people were injured due to an explosion,’ DW Amharic, 8 April 2024 The Amhara Region Government Communication accused an “extremist group” of carrying out the attack.⁴Amhara Communication, ‘The extremist group has carried out a terrorist act in the middle of the market of Fnote Selam city where many people gathered,’ 6 April 2024 The use of hand grenades has been prevalent in urban areas of Amhara region, accounting for 13 incidents over the past year.

Protests in Tigray Region

On 5 April, hundreds of Mekele University students staged a protest in the capital city of Tigray, Mekele, opposing an extended graduation date. Tigray state police intervened, assaulting demonstrators, firing in the air, and arresting 10 students. An unidentified number of protestors were injured. Police stated that its forces dispersed the protest, as the protestors failed to notify the regional government in advance.⁵Million Haileselase, Negash Mohamed, and Eshete Bekele, ‘Students who demonstrated in Mekele were beaten,’ DW Amharic, 5 April 2024

Separately, on 31 March, ethnic Amhara protesters gathered in Korem town in Southern Tigray zone, asking the federal government to address clashes between Amhara and Tigray forces in the disputed territories between Tigray and Amhara regions. Clashes in border areas ignited in February and continued in March, threatening the Pretoria peace agreement. On 4 April, the government’s communication service accused the Tigray region of “activities against the peace agreement” and reemphasized its intention to resolve the status of disputed territories through referendum only.⁶Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, ‘Government Communication Service Press statement,’ 4 April 2023 The Southern Tigray zone administration refuted this accusation and continued to blame Amhara forces for the recent clashes in the zone.⁷VOA Amharic, ‘The government urged the Tigray and Amhara regions to solve problems only through dialogue,’ 4 April 2024

Violence in Oromia Region

Clashes continued between the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) — referred to by the government as the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)-Shane — and the government forces in Oromia region, with fighting reported in West Wollega and Guji zones during the last week. Meanwhile, following clashes in Kondala woreda, West Wollega zone, government forces reportedly shot and killed a civilian whom they accused of supporting the OLA/OLF-Shane. On 4 April, OLA/OLF-Shane militants reportedly killed a number of ethnic Amhara civilians in Amaye woreda, West Shewa zone.⁸X @AAA_Amhara, 5 April 2024 In another incident of civilian targeting by government forces in the region, 20 civilians were reportedly killed in Tole woreda, South West Shewa zone, on 4 April. The Oromo Liberation Front party denounced the killings and accused the government of consistently using force against unarmed populations.⁹Oromo Liberation Front, ‘War crimes, committed against civilians by the Prosperity Party government in order to protect the political power they seized by force,’ 5 April 2024

Ethiopia’s Relations with Somalia

On 4 April, Somalia announced that it would be expelling Ethiopia’s ambassador and recalling its own ambassador from Addis Ababa in an escalation of tensions surrounding the signing of a memorandum of understanding earlier this year between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a self-declared autonomous state.¹⁰Falastine Iman and Mohamed Olad Hassan, ‘Somalia expels Ethiopian ambassador, orders closure of two consulate,’ Voice of America, 4 April 2024 Escalations occurred last week after officials from Puntland, one of the federal states in Somalia, met with Ethiopian officials to discuss “trade, investment, energy cooperation, and joint infrastructure projects.”¹¹The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, ‘Ethiopia, Puntland Agree to Enhance Multifaceted Relations,’ 3 April 2024 The relationship between Puntland and the Somali federal government deteriorated after the Puntland government rejected the Somali federal government’s authority following the new changes to Somalia’s constitution.¹²Reuters, ‘Somalia’s Puntland refuses to recognise federal government after disputed constitutional changes,’ 31 March 2024