Ethiopian Forces Regain Control Of Historic Lalibela: Residents

The Ethiopian army regained control of Lalibela on Thursday following a pullout by a regional militia whose fighters had overrun much of the historic town the day before, residents said

Addis Ababa, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2023) The Ethiopian army regained control of Lalibela on Thursday following a pullout by a regional militia whose fighters had overrun much of the historic town the day before, residents said.

Lalibela -- a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its centuries-old rock-hewn churches -- has witnessed fighting between the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and the Fano militia on a regular basis this year.

Although Fano, a "self-defence" group from the Amhara region, fought alongside Federal troops in the two-year war in neighbouring Tigray, tensions boiled over after Addis Ababa announced in April that it was dismantling regional forces across Ethiopia.

The latest clashes broke out on Wednesday, with Fano eventually seizing control of much of Lalibela, according to residents.

But on Thursday, a resident said that the fighters had "left during the night" and "ENDF now control the city".

Another resident confirmed the account, saying: "Until early morning, Fano controlled most of the town. When we woke up, Fano were finishing leaving the town."

"I can see ENDF deployed in the streets," he added.

Both residents, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said they had not heard or seen fresh clashes on Thursday.

Residents had said the fierce fighting on Wednesday saw federal forces pushed back to a base on the outskirts of the town, which has a population of around 37,000 according to official statistics.

- State of emergency -

Representatives of the federal government, the Ethiopian army, or regional authorities could not be reached and have not responded to messages from AFP since Wednesday.

It is impossible to verify the situation on the ground independently as media access to Amhara is heavily restricted.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government imposed a six-month state of emergency in early August after fighting erupted in Amhara, renewing concerns about the stability of Africa's second most populous country just months after a peace deal ended the Tigray war.

Ethiopia's human rights body in September accused federal forces of carrying out extra-judicial killings in Amhara and mass arbitrary detentions in the region and elsewhere under the state of emergency.

The November 2022 Tigray deal was not welcomed by many in the Amhara community, with one diplomat saying it represented a "reversal of alliances".

And when Abiy's government announced it was disbanding regional forces, it triggered angry protests by Amhara nationalists who said it would weaken their region.

Lalibela has been caught up in the latest conflict in Amhara but was also at the centre of a fierce struggle between the warring sides during the Tigray conflict, changing hands several times.

The town's 11 monolithic churches, which date back to the 12th and 13th centuries, are a magnet for tourists and pilgrims from across Ethiopia and the world, and the site hosts major Orthodox Christian religious festivals.

Amhara is the second most populous region of Ethiopia with about 25 million inhabitants, and the Amhara were once the nation's economic and political elite.

A mosaic of more than 80 ethno-linguistic communities, Ethiopia has in recent years been troubled by sometimes deadly violence over identity and territorial claims.