Amhara Fano militia offers to join Afar forces in ongoing Tigray-Afar fighting

Amhara Fano militia has released a statement about ongoing fighting between Tigray and Afar forces. The statement has come at a time when Tigray forces are on Afar soil vowing to “degrade fighting capabilities of the enemy forces”.

In the statement, Fano severely criticizes the Ethiopian Federal Government for suspending military operations. Ethiopian government last month announced that its forces would not enter Tigray and it halted military advance towards Tigray.

While the Ethiopian government forces decided against entering Tigray, Tigray forces have regrouped and reorganized, claims Amhara region-based militia.

Fano is calling upon all Ethiopians especially Amhara to stand behind Afar forces.

Two days ago, the Tigray government announced the launching of military operations in the neighboring Afar region. The government accused Afar regional forces backed by the Eritrean military of carrying out attacks inside Tigray.

Since then fighting is being reported in Abala, Megale, Berhale, Erebti, and other woredas of Afar. Tigray forces yesterday withdrew from two places in Afar, but the situation is far from being calm on some other fronts.

Amhara Fano militias and Afar forces fought jointly on some fronts during TDF’s invasion of the Amhara and Afar region last July.

Fano concludes its statement by announcing that its fighters are ready to join fighting on the Afar-Tigray border to support the people of Afar.

So far there is no presence of the Fano militia in Afar to support Afar forces. But if the Tigray-Afar border spreads, Fano and regional forces could join Afar fighters against Tigray forces.