Addis Abeba — Armed groups have reportedly carried out a large-scale attack on the town of Gelegu in the Quara district, West Gondar Zone of the Amhara region, causing extensive damage to government institutions and leaving at least 20 people with serious injuries, according to the district's communication office.

In a statement released on Thursday, the office said the groups it described as "extremist" destroyed 74 offices across 24 different government sectors, burned three vehicles, and seized another. The attack also left at least 20 people with serious injuries, the statement added.

The institutions affected include the education, peace and security, justice, and health offices, as well as the chief administrator's office, the council, police, revenues, finance, agriculture, and trade and market development offices. Also reported damaged were the Quara First Instance Court, Tsehay Bank's Gelegu branch, and the Altash government employees' loan and savings office.

According to the communication office, senior officials' homes were looted in the attack, with the home of district administrator Asmare Andargachew destroyed. The district party branch head lost a laptop and notebooks, peace and security head Berihun Tilahun lost clothing and ammunition, and police officers' household items were also taken, the communication office said.

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The statement accused the armed groups of carrying out a campaign to "kill, torture, loot, destroy institutions, and burn vehicles, including ambulances," and urged the community to condemn the attacks and work toward peace in the district.

In July last year, an attack in Quara district, West Gondar, allegedly by "Fano militants," reportedly killed several people and displaced over 10,000 residents, mostly from a kebele inhabited by Agew natives, local officials, and displaced residents told the BBC.