Fano forces operating in Ethiopia’s Amhara region have claimed responsibility for a deadly ambush that killed a senior government military commander and at least 15 soldiers near the Kurabas locality in the Delgi district of the Gondar zone.
According to DNE Africa, the operation was described as a “special mission” by Fano leadership and marks a significant escalation in the ongoing armed conflict between regional militias and federal forces.
The ambushed convoy, which included two military vehicles and over 35 Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) personnel, was reportedly struck while in transit. The targeted attack resulted in the death of Colonel Asseged, a senior ENDF commander, as well as 15 of his escorting troops. More than 20 others were wounded, Fano sources claim.
Speaking to Ethio Focus and cited by DNE Africa, former ENDF officer Colonel Abera Azanaw—now aligned with the Fano command structure in Gondar—confirmed the operation was carried out by the Tana Brigade following days of intelligence gathering and surveillance of government troop movements in the area.
“The Tana Brigade conducted the operation following a detailed assessment. We consider this a strategic victory,” Colonel Azanaw said, adding that the strike was executed with precision while the vehicles were in motion.
Though Fano media and some diaspora news outlets have widely reported the incident, DNE Africa notes that the ambush has yet to be independently verified. Neither the federal government nor Ethiopian state media has issued a formal statement regarding the alleged attack. Independent verification remains limited amid an ongoing information blackout in parts of the Amhara region.
The reported ambush comes at a time of heightened military tensions. As detailed in DNE Africa’s latest conflict overview, government forces have recently ramped up their operations in the region with the stated aim of dismantling Fano resistance by the end of July. However, Fano units continue to claim momentum on the battlefield, sharing videos on social media purportedly showing captured soldiers and confiscated equipment.
Fano, which defines itself as a grassroots Amhara defense movement with historical roots in local resistance efforts, has maintained a strong opposition to the federal government’s disarmament strategy. The group accuses federal authorities of undermining regional autonomy and failing to provide adequate security guarantees for the Amhara people, especially in the aftermath of the Tigray conflict and ongoing instability in northern Ethiopia.
