September 7, 2024
borkena
Toronto – Residents from Metema Yohannes area along the Ethio-Sudan border in the Amhara region of Ethiopia confirm border closure.
VOA Amharic also cited an email communication with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to report that the Gallabat-Metema border was closed due to “conflict between government security forces [Ethiopian] and unidentified armed groups.” The agency has also announced that there were no casualties from the refugee communities in the area.
What the agency referred to as “unidentified gunmen” seems to be a reference to Fano forces who have been fighting against government forces in the Amhara region of Ethiopia for more than one year now.
VOA Amharic has established that Fano forces and government forces fought in the area last Monday.
Residents have confirmed that the conflict was between Fano forces on the one hand and government forces on the other. The conflict is reportedly still underway.
Other Ethiopian News sources were reporting earlier this week that Fano Forces took control of Metema after government forces lost the battle. Sudan Tribune, Sudanese news source, also confirmed that Sudanese authorities in the area have ordered the closure of the border after government forces crossed the border.
After controlling the town for two days, Fano forces withdrew from it without any resistance from government forces and were building up forces in nearby areas of military significance.
The fighting between the two forces was halted for about two days and resumed on Friday according to a VOA Amharic report which cited a resident from Metema Yohannes who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The fighting is going on three kilometers outside of Metema town. The resident said “an exchange of mortar and Z23 fires” was heard outside of the town.
It is also going on in many rural areas that are in close distance to Metema Yohannes.
The Federal government launched the military operation in the Amhara region of Ethiopia on August 23 and it was stated that it would only be for a few weeks.
The war in the region has affected civilians in the region and over four millions of students are reported to be out of school due to the war.
Despite demands from opposition party politicians for the government to resolve the conflict in the region through dialogue, the government has yet taken a bold move in that direction.
However, the government is making claims that the existence of multiple leaders and actors in the Fano movement made initiating peace talk difficult. Fano forces have recently been demanding the removal of Abiy’s government.
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