The Amhara Fano National Force (AFNF) has issued an official statement responding to the United States Department of State’s 2024 Country Report on Human Rights Practices: Ethiopia.
In its statement, AFNF welcomed the U.S. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor’s effort to document abuses but argued that the report understated the scale and systematic nature of atrocities committed in Ethiopia’s ongoing conflict.
AFNF, a newly formed coalition of Amhara armed factions, was established earlier this year and is comprised of four major forces loyal to commanders Zemene Kassie of Gojjam, Habtamu Wolde of Gondar, Mihretu Wedajo of Wollo, and Desalegn Siyasebshewa of Shewa. It is considered one of the two largest Fano factions active in the Amhara region, alongside the Amhara Fano People’s Organization (AFPO), which is led by Eskinder Nega, a former opposition politician turned rebel leader.
The group accuses Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party government of waging what it calls a “genocidal war” against ethnic Amhara communities over the past 27 months. Its statement details allegations of extrajudicial killings—including aerial bombardments and executions—torture, mass detentions, disappearances, and forced displacement. It also cites reports of sexual violence, property destruction, looting, and communication blackouts. According to AFNF, these actions constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide under international law.
AFNF further denounced the detention of opposition figures, journalists, and human rights defenders, naming parliamentarian Christian Tadele, journalist Tadios Tantu, and activist Dr. Tewodros Hailemariam among those targeted.
The U.S. human rights report documented serious violations across Ethiopia’s conflicts but did not attribute responsibility exclusively to government forces. AFNF, however, asserts that the Ethiopian federal government and allied militias bear sole responsibility for abuses against Amhara civilians. Independent verification of these claims remains difficult due to restricted access to conflict zones.
Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have previously raised concerns about atrocities in Ethiopia but have noted that abuses have been carried out by multiple armed actors. The Ethiopian government has consistently rejected accusations of ethnic cleansing, insisting that its military operations are focused on restoring law and order against armed insurgents.
The AFNF’s intervention reflects both the scale of grievances among Amhara groups and the fragmentation of Ethiopia’s armed opposition, as rival factions such as AFNF and AFPO continue to shape the dynamics of the conflict in the Amhara region.
