The recent extrajudicial killings of three Amhara men in the Central Ethiopia Region have drawn significant attention, followed by official statements from regional authorities regarding security operations in the area. Local media outlets reported that the victims—Temesgen Getachew, Yitagesu Asegidew, and Gizaw Girmaye—were forcibly removed from a public transport vehicle in the Agena area of Abeshige Woreda, Gurage Zone. Eyewitness accounts and media reports indicate that the men were accused of being affiliated with the Fano militia, subsequently bound, beaten, and shot dead by forces described as a combination of government troops, local police, and militia. Their bodies were later transported to their home area and left there, while subsequent reports indicated that the victims’ families faced pressure, including threats and financial offers, to prevent them from speaking publicly or seeking legal accountability.Addressing the situation during a regional government press briefing, Temesgen Kassa, Chief of the Central Ethiopia Region Peace and Security Bureau, outlined government actions in the area without directly naming the three deceased men or explicitly acknowledging the reported extrajudicial killings. The bureau chief stated that government security forces, operating jointly with federal authorities and the Oromia regional government, had taken “measures” against “armed men” and “bandits” in Abeshige Woreda who refused official demands to surrender. While claiming that some individuals had accepted government peace initiatives and underwent rehabilitation, he emphasized that those who persisted in criminal activities were targeted in law enforcement operations. Authorities rejected assertions that security measures targeted specific ethnic communities, attributing local instability to armed groups involved in looting and violence, and urged the public to disregard unverified reports while continuing to cooperate with security personnel.
