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At least 45 civilians were killed in door-to-door raids by Ethiopian troops last month in the northern town of Merawi, according to the country’s human rights watchdog. Witnesses reported that a pregnant woman was among those shot, and she later died in the hospital, according to medics. The Ethiopian government has not commented on the killings. Both the US and EU are calling for an independent investigation.
This incident marks one of the worst episodes of violence in the Amhara region since last August, when powerful local Fano militias rebelled against the government’s plans to disarm them. Previously, Fano had been an ally of Ethiopian troops in fighting their common enemy, the TPLF rebels in the neighboring Tigray region. After a peace deal was agreed in Tigray, the authorities announced that Fano and other militias would be disarmed. Fano opposes disbanding its forces, fearing exposure to attacks from neighboring regions.
Residents of Merawi described several hours of fierce fighting on January 29 between the army and Fano fighters, followed by house-to-house searches by uniformed Ethiopian security officers. Witnesses, speaking anonymously, recounted grim scenes, including soldiers bringing out people from houses and shooting them on the streets. Residents said soldiers accused them of sheltering Fano and providing them with food, suggesting the civilian massacre was revenge for militia attacks on government troops.
Most of those killed were young men, according to witnesses. Medical staff confirmed that a pregnant woman was among those shot. She died after arriving at the hospital. One witness described the aftermath, saying, “When I got out the next day, I saw bodies lying on the roads.”
