While international attention has been trained on the political schism within Tigray and the drumbeat of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Fano insurgency in the Amhara region has escalated further. On 19 March, several of the most prominent Fano militias launched "Operation Unity" in the Amhara region, targeting dozens of Ethiopian military installations and inflicting significant casualties. The attack across Gojjam, Gondar, and Wollo demonstrated a previously unseen level of coordination between these Fano factions.
Last week, Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) Major General Alemeshet Degife gave an interview for state television. The controversial senior military commander, returned in November 2020 by PM Abiy Ahmed for the Tigray war, spoke about a number of topics, including the status of the Fano insurgency in Amhara and Ethiopia's relationship with Eritrea and Egypt.