Addis Abeba – The command post overseeing the state of emergency in the Amhara region has imposed an indefinite ban of all kinds of movement on the main asphalt between Debre Berhan and Dessie cities after militiamen brutally killed 8 civilians in Shewa Robit on Friday.
A credible source disclosed to Addis Standard that the 8 civilians were en route to Kemise, a major city in the Oromo special zone of the Amhara region from Addis Abeba, when they were intercepted by the non-state local militia called Fano in Shewa Robit, North Shewa zone of the Amhara region.
According to the source, five of the eight killed were men and teachers, whereas the remaining three were women domestic workers returning to their families from the Middle east. The source further confided to Addis Standard that the victims were all native Oromos and were identified by their ID cards before they were taken away and killed by the armed group.
Video footage shared with Addis Standard revealed that Tolasa Kuru, Ephrem Endalew, Idris Mohammed and Gemechu Kasahun are among those killed.
In a statement subsequent to the killing, the Central Shewa command post strongly condemned the killing, and expressed deep sadness over what it described as “brutality and abuse inflicted on innocent travelers and residents.”
The military command post said “extremists have committed murders, kidnappings, robberies and other horrific crimes against innocent passengers,” on the main road connecting Addis Abeba to Dessie, and pledging to take action against the perpetrators in collaboration with the regional government, the people, local security agencies and the Federal Police.
Consequently, the command post indefinitely banned effective today, all kinds of movement on the main asphalt road between Debre Berhan and Dessie, to avoid civilian harm during a strong military operation to be conducted aiming to crackdown against the armed group.
In November last year, more than 18 people were killed, and over 30 others were wounded in a day-long fighting between the Fano militia from the North Shewa zone and armed residents of Artuma Fursi district of the neighboring Oromo Special Zone of the Amhara region.
The two zones are prone to and frequently hit by extreme violence. In January 2023, dozens of civilians were killed Jille Dhummuga district of the Oromo Special Zone, in clashes involving local armed forces and local civilians. In July 2022, 17 civilians, by local authorities’ count, were killed, many were also injured and several dozens were displaced along with severe property damages, including burning of residential quarters.
Two months earlier, in April of same year, Addis Standard reported about a gruesome violence in which dozens of civilians were executed by members of Fano and many more displaced in an area called Kolash which is a border area between Shewa Robit (North Shewa zone) and Wasen Kurkur (Oromo Special zone).
Amhara region is currently under a federally declared state of emergency first imposed in August last year, and extended by four months earlier this month. AS
