Addis Abeba — In a statement released on Tuesday, the Amhara regional government denounced the alleged "brutal execution" of at least four elders by the Fano armed groups on suspicion of being members of the recently established regional peace council.
The statement named four of the victims and indicated that others might have also been killed. Social media reports put the number of casualties as high as 11.
Furthermore, 13 other local elders who were captured together with the deceased still remain in the hands of the Fano armed groups sustaining "inhumane punishment and torture," the statement added.
The regional government stated the elders, religious fathers and women included, were rounded up while returning from the regional capital Bahir Dar to their village called Gerchicha in South Mecha District of the North Gojjam Zone.
"...they rounded up religious leaders, elders and mothers, inhumanely punished them and tortured their tired bodies before executing them brutally," the statement read.
The statement, which was issued on Tuesday by the regional communications bureau, didn't provide further details as to how, when and where the killings occurred and efforts, if any, to secure the release of those still in captivity.
However, it denounced the killings saying that "it is impossible to achieve any objective by killing innocent citizens". It further called on the people of the region to "condemn the extremist group" stating that their agenda is "clearly not of the people".
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The statement indicated that following the establishment of a regional peace council last month, several local peace committees have been formed, making extensive efforts to secure peace by negotiating between the government and the Fano armed groups, with "promising progress in most areas".
A footage released by the armed groups, widely circulating on social media, depicted the elders being forced to crawl on their knees with a caption suggesting that they are members of the peace council.
The regional peace council tasked with facilitating talks between the government forces and non-state Fano militia, was established following a regional peace conference conducted in Bahir Dar from 24 to 25 June, 2024.
Subsequent to its formation, the council issued a statement highlighting the suffering of the people of the region and urged parties to the conflict to resolve their differences through dialogue.
