Breaking News Ethiopia: Top Fano Commander Killed

Breaking News Ethiopia: A senior Amhara Fano militia commander has been killed in the ongoing military operation in the Amhara region. The news came hours after the Ethiopian Joint Task Force on Security and Safety announced the dismantling of a Fano group. The group was allegedly planning to carry out terrorist activities in Addis Ababa. Read more..

It was last year when Ethiopian military launched a military operation to disband Amhara Fano groups. The Fano groups fought alongside Ethiopian National Defense Force during the 2-year long war in Tigray. But after the signing of Pretoria deal between Tigray People’s Liberation Front and Ethiopian Federal Government in November 2020, Ethiopian government announced to disband Fano groups. Fano groups refused to be disarmed and they launched a resistance movement in the Amhara region. Since then clashes have been ongoing between military and Fano fighters across the Amhara region.

Wubante Abate, the killed Fano commander, was leading South Gondar Fano. He served in the Ethiopian National Defense Force as a Major. After leaving the military, he settled in Gondar, his hometown. Wubante fought alongside ENDF against Tigray forces in the war in northern Ethiopia.

Reportedly Wubante Abate died in a ground operation by Ethiopian military in South Gondar. This is the first major loss suffered by Fano groups since the start of military offensive against Fano groups in the Amhara region.

So far, Fano groups or Government have not issued any statement about the death of Wubante Abate. But sources close to Fano are confirming the death of the Fano commander. Wubante was the senior most Fano militia commander in South Gondar and one of the most influential Fano commanders in the entire Amhara region. South Gondar groups are likely to appoint new commander in coming days. Wubante had successfully united all South Gondar Fano groups. South Gondar Fano has been a pain in the side of Ethiopian military. It would be a challenge for new South Gondar Fano commander to keep different Fano groups united.