Ethiopian civil conflict (2018–present)

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Ethiopian civil war (2018–present)
Part of the conflicts in the Horn of Africa

Territorial control as of January 2024[a]
(For a more detailed, up-to-date, interactive map, see here).
Pro-federal government troops
  Ethiopian federal government and regional allies

Anti-federal government rebels

  
Al-Fashaga, Sudan, and Eritrea
Result

Ongoing

Belligerents

 Ethiopia

 Eritrea[1][2]

Arms suppliers:

 UFEFCF (Nov. 2021–)[8][9]


Fano militia (2023–)[17]

Al-Qaeda

Commanders and leaders Ali Diyaar[22]
Osman Abu Abdi Rahman[23]Units involved UnknownCasualties and losses 10,383+ killed[24]
8,000 captured[25][26]
2 MiG-23 lost[27][28]
2 Mi-35 lost[29][30][31]
1 C-130 lost[32]
1,555+ killed[33] 5,600 killed, 2,300 injured, 2,000 captured (Ethiopian military claim)[34][35] 800+ killed, 100 captured (Ethiopian claim)[36]
  1. ^ Other maps of territorial control in this war are presented by MapEthiopia

Following the 2018 dissolution of the

political coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, there was an increase in tensions within the country, with newly resurgent regional and ethnically based factions carrying out armed attacks on military and civilians in multiple conflicts throughout Ethiopia.[37][38][39][40]

These tensions further escalated when

November 2020. The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) entered Tigray and took the capital of Mekelle. The Tigray Defense Forces retook control of most of Tigray in mid-2021 and formed an alliance with the OLA in late 2021.[41][11] The alliance declared a coalition with seven smaller rebel groups, called the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces.[42]

Background

Direct cause of modern conflicts in Ethiopia traced back to

. Historians correspond this type of system as a prototype of the current federalism in Ethiopia.

Throughout 20th century, Ethiopia witnessed prolonged political turmoil. Starting from fascist Italian occupation (1935–1941), imperial Haile Selassie period (1930–1974) and communist Derg regime (1974–1991), political violence has been increasingly engendered Ethiopia to instability and severe human rights violations.[44]

Meles Zenawi in 2012

Many scholars and authors believe that the current source of internal conflict in Ethiopia is the implementation of ethnic federalism since 1991.[45] Evidence suggests the implementation of ethnic federalism "politicized tribal identity" and scholars refuted its application on Ethiopian state context.[46] The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) believes by applying ethnic federalism, Ethiopia would be safer and peaceful if ethnolinguistic groups granted autonomy while maintaining unity of state.[47] This notion is actively opposed by Ethiopian nationalist groups, contending the present system of ethnic-based government should be changed to non-ethnic and consider individual as subject of political order.[48] Notwithstanding, the ruling coalition EPRDF under Meles Zenawi's premiership, took advantage to justify authoritarian dictatorship by initiating crackdowns and jailing opposition groups, concentrating mass media, violating democratic and human rights, and by committing electoral fraud in the 2005 general election.[49]

Hailemariam Desalegn succeeded Meles as prime minister shortly after his death in 2012

On 20 August 2012, Meles died in Brussels and was replaced by Hailemariam Desalegn as Prime Minister of Ethiopia, who remained in power as his party in control of every parliamentary seat. On 15 February 2018, Hailemariam resigned following years-long protests and a state of emergency. He was succeeded by Abiy Ahmed in April 2018.[50] Shortly afterwards, the 42-years old Abiy reformed the country's economy and politics, released political prisoners and opposition group members as well as return the exiled members, relaxed the press freedom and granted diverse political groups the freedom to mobilize and organize. In 2019, he was awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution of ending the 20-years war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. As opponent of ethnic federalism, his transformative politics saw the reversal of the former regime policies of ethnic-based politics enshrined in the 1995 Constitution. However, it exacerbated competition and resentment over the former coalition parties and pushes the country toward further interethnic tensions.[51]

Afar–Somali clashes

In 2014, the federal government under the EPRDF, redrew the boundary between the two regions of Afar Region and the Somali Region. As a result, the Afar Region gained three towns from the Somali Region which has tried to gain them back since. Border clashes in April 2021 killed around 100 civilians.[38]

Afar Region

Amhara Region

On 10–11 January 2019, 58

Fano militia. The ENDF failed to intervene to stop the massacre.[52]

On 22 June 2019 elements of The Amhara Region's Peace and Security Bureau and allied militias loyal by Brigadier General Asaminew Tsige Chief of the Amhara Region security began a coup d'état. Starting with the targeted assassinations of political and military leaders including Se'are Mekonnen (Chief of the General Staff), Gizae Aberra (Aide-de-camp to the Chief of the General Staff), and Ambachew Mekonnen (Chief Administrator of the Amhara Region). The coup d'état ultimately failed with Asaminew Tsige being killed by police near Bahir Dar 36 hours after the start of the coup.[53][54][55][56]

Throughout much of

EEPA, including 500 dairy cows and hundreds of calves stolen by Amhara forces.[58]

On 23 November 2020, a reporter of

Western Tigray was taken over by officials from Amhara region.[57] As of 1 March 2021, several geographical places had been renamed by the new authorities and many residents of Tigrayan ethnicity had been deported to Central Zone.[59] Eyewitnesses report ongoing ethnic cleansing and settlements void of inhabitants.[60]

The

Humera massacres in 2021 that killed Tigrayans were also attributed to Fano and possibly Eritrean soldiers.[61][62] Fano are also accused of participating in the Mai Kadra massacre, which had both Amhara and Tigrayan victims, while Amnesty International, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, and the Ethiopian Human Rights Council attributed it to local Tigrayan youths.[63][64]

Starting in March 2021 clashes erupted in the town of Ataye after Amhara special forces killed a person on the steps of the main mosque in the city. This started off a wave of inter ethnic clashes that spread throughout the Oromia Zone leading to the deaths of 303 people.[65][66] On 16 April Clashes once again started after OLA fighters attacked the city of Ataye, The clashes continued for two days leading to the deaths of 281 people and the destruction of a quarter of Ataye.[67][68]

By November 2021, fighting in the Tigray War had moved south of Tigray Region into Amhara Region, leading to a joint military campaign by the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) against federal forces, threatening Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.[69]

The killings continued through 2021, with people being tortured, tied up and thrown in the

Tekeze River. The Italian weekly magazine Panorama published a graphic video in which Amhara soldiers killed a group of 9 people in Humera in August 2021 and then set fire to their bodies. The video also shows torturing of one man by Amhara soldiers, then tying him up, preparing to throw him in the river.[70]

A relation between Amhara militia Fano and the Ethiopian government in post-Tigray War worsened in 2023, culminated in

major clashes with ENDF forces on 1 August. Fighting was intense in major hot spot of Debre Tabor, Kobo and Gondar.[72][73] The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency on 4 August, imposing restrictions on public gathering, gun ownership and media outlets and arresting without providing arrest warrants.[74]

Benishangul-Gumuz Region