An attack blamed on Fano fighters in Ethiopia’s South Gondar Zone has left several local officials dead, according to zone authorities and a local source cited by the BBC. The incident targeted administrative and security structures in parts of the Amhara region, including the towns of Nefas Mewucha and Hamusit.
Zone officials said the assault took place on Wednesday, March 9, 2018 E.C., and described it as part of a broader wave of violence in the area. A source from the administration told the BBC that at least five officials were killed, among them district administrators and security personnel.
Those killed reportedly include the chief administrator of Dera district, the head of the Prosperity Party office there, and the district police commander. The administrator of Simada district and the mayor of Hamusit were also named among the dead. The BBC said it could not independently verify the deaths.
According to the zone administration, the attackers moved into the towns after gathering from different locations and struck areas where officials and security forces were on duty. The source said the operation began around dawn, adding that federal troops had already withdrawn from some parts of the zone in recent weeks, leaving regional police, militia, and riot police to hold the line.
The administration accused the armed group of trying to destabilize the area by targeting leaders and disrupting local governance. In its statement, it said efforts would continue to restore order and remove “anti-peace” forces from the region.
The Amhara Fano National Movement, for its part, claimed responsibility for attacks on Nefas Mewucha, Kimer Dingay, Gasan, and Hamusit, saying it seized weapons and vehicles and inflicted casualties on security personnel. Those claims have not been independently confirmed.
South Gondar has become one of the flashpoints in the wider conflict in Amhara region. Only last month, another attack in the zone capital, Debre Tabor, caused significant damage to government institutions, according to earlier reports.
If you want, I can also turn this into a more formal BBC-style report or a shorter newspaper-style brief.
