By Giulia Paravicini and Dawit Endeshaw
November 7, 202310:29 AM EST
Ethiopia clashes raise fears for historic churches
- Summary
- Firing of heavy weapons send shockwaves through church structures
- At least 30 killed in second separate incident
NAIROBI/ADDIS ABABA, Nov 7 (Reuters) – A fresh eruption of fighting in northern Ethiopia has raised concerns among residents about the safety of rock-hewn churches in the town of Lalibela dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries.
Fano militiamen fighting the Ethiopian army in the Amhara region over-ran Lalibela and Gondar for several days in August marking Ethiopia’s most serious security crisis since a two-year civil war in the neighbouring region of Tigray ended a year ago.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueReport this ad
In a separate incident highlighting instability in the region, at least 30 people were killed in fighting between members of Ethiopia’s two largest ethnic groups, the Oromo and Amhara, in a town in the region’s Oromiya Special Zone, two residents said.
Fano fighters battled alongside the army during the war in Tigray, but relations between the two have soured, particularly after the federal government in April moved to integrate security forces operated by each region into the police and army.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueReport this ad
On Sunday, Ethiopian soldiers fired heavy weapons 11 times from locations near the churches in Lalibela, a deacon said, sending damaging shockwaves through one of the subterranean places of worship.
“The vibrations are affecting the churches,” the deacon said, requesting anonymity for fears of reprisals.
Two residents confirmed the fresh wave of fighting. One said the army was stationed outside Lalibela and by the airport and started fighting on Saturday, firing heavy weapons towards a mountain overlooking the town.