Amhara region/ Fano Militias

Why in News ? A devastating drone strike occurred recently  in Gedeb, located in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, resulting in the deaths of at least 50 to over 100 civilians. The attack happened during the Easter holiday, a significant occasion for Ethiopian Orthodox and Protestant Christians.

Key Highlights:

• The drone strike targeted civilians gathered to repair a local primary school on the morning of Easter.
• Eyewitnesses reported gruesome scenes, with bodies dismembered and many severely injured.
• The estimated death toll ranges from 50 to over 100, making it one of the deadliest drone attacks in the ongoing Ethiopian conflict.
• The strike is part of the broader conflict between the Ethiopian army and the Fano militias, which are linked to the Amhara ethnic group.
• Drone warfare, which began during the Tigray War (2020–2022), has since expanded to the Amhara and Oromia regions.

• In 2024, Ethiopia carried out 54 drone strikes, as per data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)

Major militia groups in Africa:

West Africa:

1. Boko Haram (Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon):

• Islamist extremist group seeking to establish an Islamic state.
• Known for mass abductions, bombings, and attacks on civilians and military targets.

2. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP):

• A splinter faction of Boko Haram, more structured and ideologically aligned with ISIS.
• Strong presence in Nigeria’s northeast and the Lake Chad region.

3. Dozo Militia (Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire):

• Traditional hunter militias often involved in ethnic-based violence.
• Sometimes supported by governments to fight jihadists.

East Africa:

4. Al-Shabaab (Somalia, Kenya):

• Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group.
• Seeks to impose strict Sharia law and remove foreign forces from Somalia.
• Responsible for major attacks like the Westgate Mall siege (Kenya).

5. Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) (Ethiopia):

• Armed group seeking autonomy for the Oromo people.
• Active mainly in Oromia region; declared a terrorist group by the Ethiopian government.

6. Fano Militia (Ethiopia – Amhara region):

• Ethnic Amhara self-defense group.
• Has clashed with the Ethiopian army in recent years.

Central Africa:

7. Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) (Uganda, DRC, South Sudan, CAR):

• Notorious for child soldier recruitment and brutal tactics.
• Led by Joseph Kony; greatly diminished but still active in some forested regions.

8. Anti-Balaka & Séléka (Central African Republic):

• Rival militias in a civil conflict.
• Séléka: Mostly Muslim rebels.
• Anti-Balaka: Predominantly Christian vigilantes.

9. M23 Rebels (Democratic Republic of Congo):

• Mainly Tutsi group accused of being backed by Rwanda.
• Frequently reemerges, causing instability in eastern DRC.

North Africa:

10. Libyan National Army (LNA) Militias (Libya)

• Led by General Khalifa Haftar, controls eastern Libya.
• Supported by foreign powers like the UAE and Egypt.

11. Tuareg Militias (Mali, Niger, Algeria, Libya):

• Ethnic group seeking autonomy in the Sahel region.
• Sometimes allies with Islamist or separatist movements.

Southern Africa:

12. Renamo Militia (Mozambique)

• Political party with an armed wing; fought a long civil war with FRELIMO.
• Sporadic insurgency in central Mozambique in recent years.

13. Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaah (ASWJ) aka ISIS-Mozambique

• Islamist insurgent group in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique.
• Responsible for beheadings, mass displacement, and major attacks