Amhara Fano fighters, on Wednesday, released a video to substantiate their claim of taking control of Lalibela international airport in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
On Tuesday, Amhara Fano fighters claimed to have captured Lalibela airport. The airport is situated in the North Wollo zone of the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Since last year, Amhara Fano fighters have been fighting the Ethiopian security security forces. Fighting has been ongoing since last year on multiple fronts in Wollo, Gondar, Shewa and Gojjam zones of Amhara.
The military, more than a year ago, launched an operation to disarm and dismantle Amhara Fano militias. The militias, loosely organized on state level, are operating in all zones of the Amhara region. Today Fano fighters release a video showing them in control of the airport. Several Fano fighters were seen in the video with sounds of gunshots heard in the background.
Reportedly, Asaminew Tsige brigade of Fano took control of the airport and they remained in control of the airport facility for a few hours. But after Ethiopian national defense reinforcements arrived at the airport, Fano fighters withdrew from the area.
This is the second time in around a year that Fano militias members disrupted flight operations at the Lalibela airport. Ethiopian military did not respond to Fano’s claim of airport’s control, which has now been visually confirmed.
Interestingly, Ethiopian military chief Berhanu Jula, in his recent speeches, announced that Ethiopian military had inflicted heavy losses on Fano and OLA rendering them incapable of carrying out any organized attacks.
In recent days, fighting intensified between Fano and military in north Gondar, south Gondar and Wollo. In Wollo, two Fano groups merged around a month ago. Mihret Wodajo’s East Amhara Fano and Colonel Fantahan Muhabaw’s Fano groups announced their merger. Reportedly, the attack on Lalibela international airport was carried out by Wollo Fano and Asaminew Tsige brigade.