May 24, 2025
Borkena
Toronto – Amhara Fano National Force (AFNF) on Friday released a statement in response to the message from the United States government.
The United States, through its Ambassador to Ethiopia – Ervin Massigna, called for peace and stability in Ethiopia. The message was addressed to Fano forces, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and the Ethiopian government.
The message to Fano forces was to “to come forward with realistic and peaceful objectives.” In a response to the message, AFNF, announced to resort to negotiation of a set of preconditions for it, according to Ethio News report.
Withdrawal of government forces engaged in fighting with Fano forces across the Amhara region of Ethiopia – including military and security apparatus in the service of it -s one of key preconditions that AFNF demanded. The formation of transitional regional government and the closure of the ruling Prosperity Party offices across the region is another core demand listed in the set of preconditions.
AFNF also included the immediate release of political prisoners who were arrested because of advocacy work for Amhara and a recognition of Amhara Genocide implemented since the time of Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front EPRDF).
Legal protection of ethnic Amhara outside of the region, an end to the weaponization of famine in the region and unconditional resumption of social and other services suspended in the Amhara region in connection with the ongoing conflict in the region are also in the lists of preconditions.
AFNF also expressed its interest for the deployment of an international body -including from the UN – to investigate genocide committed during the course of the conflict over the past two years.
AFNF is an umbrella organization for Four major Fano groups from across the Amhara region and it was established this month after the leaders of Fano forces met in Quara, Gondar.
There is still another fano organization in the region, Amhara Fano Popular Organization (AFPO), which has not yet responded to the statement from the U.S.
The conflict in the Amhara region of Ethiopia officially started in August 2023 after the Ethiopian government declared a state of emergency with a stated objective of “disarming Fano forces within a few weeks.” It turned to be a full-fledged war and still underway from which Fano forces emerged even more armed. The government has expensively employed drone strikes as infantry combat turned out to be not sustainable. The government has been accused of targeting civilians with drone strikes – which is also confirmed by human rights organizations from the country and abroad – but it denies it.
The Federal government and the U.S. government have not yet responded to Fano”s statement.
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