In a long-awaited move among Fano supporters, the Amhara Fano factions have officially announced their unification under a single organization: the Amhara Fano People’s Force (AFPF). This marks a significant shift in the region’s armed resistance, as the traditional four factions have been dissolved to form a unified front. The announcement was made in Quara, Gondar.
The AFPF will be governed by a Central Command consisting of 13 members, rather than a single leader. This decentralized leadership model is “intended to prevent internal power struggles and ensure collective decision-making”. The figures leading this new organization include:
- Zemene Kassie
- Habte Welde
- Mire Wedajo
- Engineer Desalegn Siyasebshewa
- Lawyer Asres Mare Damtie
- Henok Addisse
- General Tefera Mamo
- Zinabu Lingerew
- Dirsan Birhane
- Aschalew Belete
- Samuel Baledil
- Markew Mengiste
- Akeber Simegnew
This collective leadership structure is expected to briefed by the organization after the first press release. The dissolution of the traditional four factions signals a shift toward a more centralized and disciplined force, which many Amhara supporters have been calling for. However, the restructuring has also led to concerns about whether all regional factions are being fairly represented in the new command.
One of the most “pressing concerns” revolves around Shewa, a region that has historically played a crucial role in Amhara resistance. While Desalegn Siyasebshewa has been included in the Central Command as Shewa’s representative, he does not command the largest armed force in the region. The Amhara Fano People’s Organization (AFPO), led by Eskinder Nega, operates more extensively in Shewa than any other sub-region in Amhara.
Although Meketaw Mamo is a well-known and influential figure in Shewa’s resistance, he does not lead an organized faction but rather a loose network of Fano fighters. His affiliation with AFPO connects him to a broader structure, but his forces remain independent in their operations. This dynamic raises questions about how forces loyal to Dessalegn will integrate into the AFPF.
Despite the unification, concerns remain about whether Shewa’s forces will be adequately represented within the AFPF’s leadership. Some fear that Shewa’s exclusion from a dominant leadership role could weaken its influence within the broader Amhara movement. Others argue that the restructuring is necessary to create a more cohesive and disciplined force, even if it means certain factions must compromise.
This split within the Amhara armed struggle in the form of AFPF and AFPO is strikingly similar to Eritrea’s liberation struggle, where the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) and Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) fought both Ethiopia and each other. Just as EPLF under the current president Isias Afeworki eventually overpowered ELF and became the dominant force leading Eritrea to independence, AFPF now seeks consolidate Amhara’s resistance under a unified command while AFPO remains a competing force. The coming months will reveal whether AFPF prevails like EPLF did, or if this time, history does not repeat itself—leaving both factions weakened by internal conflict.
