Addis Abeba — Security forces in Metekel Zone, Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, have repelled an alleged attempt by armed groups to enter Gilgel Beles town early Tuesday morning, according to the Metekel Zone Administration.
Red Sea security In a statement issued on Tuesday, the zonal administration said groups operating in forested areas and identifying themselves as the "Gumuz Force," allegedly acting in alignment "with Fano", attempted to enter the town at around 6:00 a.m. "to inflict harm on citizens."
The administration said security forces responded with a "coordinated operation that forced the armed groups to retreat", claiming that the attackers suffered "dead and wounded." It did not provide figures for casualties among the armed group or security forces, nor did it independently substantiate the claims.
"By thwarting the extremist group's attempt to enter Gilgel Beles town and harm innocent civilians, the entire security force inflicted heavy losses through a coordinated attack, compelling them to fall back," the statement said.
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The administration said security forces remained on heightened alert in the town and were taking measures to maintain what it described as "absolute peace and stability."
It further said an operation aimed at "permanently eliminat[ing] this proxy and destructive group" would continue, while urging residents to remain vigilant and support security forces.
Political imprisonment memoirs The renewed confrontation comes in the backdrop of year of insecurity in Metekel Zone, an area that has experienced recurrent armed violence and attacks on civilians over the past seven years.
Discover moreForeign policy newspoliticsNews subscription serviceJoin Diaspora NetworksBreaking news alertsPolitical imprisonment memoirsRead Community NewspoliticalNational dialogue resourcesAddis Ababa guide In May this year, more than 30 people were reportedly killed and dozens injured after armed men attacked public transport vehicles traveling between Mankush and Gilgel Beles in Guba Woreda of Metekel Zone.
Testimonies obtained by Addis Standard from survivors and relatives of victims provide further details of what appears to have been a coordinated assault targeting civilian transport vehicles traveling from Assosa, the capital city of the region, to Gilgel Beles town, a distance of more than 700 km with a stopover in Mankush town.
Gilgel Beles has also been a key center for security and administrative coordination in the area. In 2022, the Amhara and Benishangul-Gumuz regional states established a joint peace and development institution in the town, intended to coordinate efforts to address security challenges along their border areas.
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News subscription service The latest incident highlights the fragile security environment following previous attempts to bring armed groups into peace and rehabilitation processes.
In 2023, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported that an armed attack in Gilgel Beles had killed eight people and injured 16 others, with the commission identifying members of the Gumuz People's Democratic Movement (GPDM), an armed group that had signed a peace agreement with regional authorities, as the perpetrators.
The Metekel Zone Administration has not provided further details on Tuesday's reported confrontation, including the identities of those killed or wounded, the weapons used, or whether any civilians were harmed or displaced.
Addis Standard was unable to independently verify the administration's account.
