Addis Abeba — The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) has announced the killing of 83 Fano groups armed fighters in what it described as a "coordinated operation" in the Gojjam and South Gonder zones of the Amhara region.

The announcement marks the latest in a "series of offensives" by the federal army against Fano militias, signaling the continuation of militarized conflict in the region despite earlier claims of nearing completion of operations.

In a statement released today, the army said a week-long operation between 25 June and 02 July resulted in "the elimination of 83 enemy combatants, wounding of 39 others, and the capture of 12." The army also claimed that "20 fighters voluntarily surrendered," and that "10 enemy cells, one robber, and eight suspects" were also apprehended. It also detailed the capture of multiple vehicles and weapons caches, including "22 Kalashnikovs, 11 outdated firearms, 1 DShK muzzle, and more than 250 rounds of assorted ammunition."

The latest offensive comes just weeks after Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Birhanu Jula told lawmakers that "90% of operations in Amhara region have been completed," and the remaining 10% was underway to "free the region from extremist armed groups."

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However, recent news reports from Fano-allied local media point to intensifying conflict and recurring casualty claims against the army.

In April, the ENDF claimed to have killed more than 300 Fano fighters in a single day in Gojjam, while human rights observers raised concerns over growing civilian casualties due to drone strikes and house raids.

Amid a volatile security environment, military escalation, and growing humanitarian needs, the Amhara conflict shows little sign of de-escalation.

A recent in-depth report by Addis Standard revealed that despite the repeated claims by the Army, federal and regional officials, the two-year conflict in the Amhara region is entering a new phase - one security analysists characterized by the increased deployment of regional anti-riot militias and police units, reportedly to replace the deployment of federal forces.