A new annual casualty report from the Amhara Association of America (AAA) reveals that since the declaration of the State of Emergency (SoE) on August 4th, 2023, in the Amhara Region and other areas populated by Amharas across Ethiopia, thousands of Amhara civilians have been killed or injured by the Oromo Prosperity Party regime of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. Although the report offers only a partial account of the true extent of the casualties, it highlights a dramatic escalation in violence and human rights violations against the Amhara people since the declaration of the SoE. This surge in brutality followed months of increasing unrest, including peaceful antigovernment protests that began in April 2023. The documented civilian massacres, extrajudicial killings, and other abuses constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as an extension of the decades-long (ongoing) Amhara Genocide in Ethiopia.
Between August 4th, 2023, and August 4th, 2024, the AAA documented the following genocidal acts committed by the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), and allied forces:
3,283 civilian casualties, including 2,592 civilians killed and 691 injured in over 200 massacres (including deadly drone strikes) across 16 zone and city administrations in the Amhara Region, Addis Ababa city, and other Amhara-inhabited areas;
At least 53 confirmed drone strikes targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, resulting in 551 civilian casualties, including 433 deaths and 118 injuries;
The rape of at least 269 people, including predominantly young girls, women, and in some cases male priests and young boys;
Attacks on educational and health facilities, leaving more than 4.1 million children out of school and forcing the shutdown of 4,178 schools in the Amhara Region;
Arbitrary stop-and-search operations targeting ethnic Amharas across Ethiopia, with widespread extortion, mass arrests of thousands of Amharas, and reports of detainees facing physical and psychological torture, denial of family visits, inadequate medical attention, and unsanitary conditions;
Termination of an unknown number of Amhara employees, particularly in Addis Ababa city, under accusations of sympathizing with or spying for Fano;
Imposed telecommunications and internet blackouts in the Amhara Region to obstruct reporting on ongoing human rights violations;
Forced relocation of survivors of the ongoing Amhara Genocide from Oromia Region to areas outside the Amhara Region;
The blockage of aid to the Amhara Region, where nearly 2 million people urgently need life-saving humanitarian assistance, with dozens—possibly hundreds—already dying from starvation, according to estimates from regional humanitarian authorities.
The report emphasizes that the documented atrocities and violations represent only a small fraction of the true scale of the violence, as the telecommunications blackout and security challenges hinder investigations and on-site access. Despite these limitations, the findings reveal a consistent pattern of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and a continuation of the Amhara Genocide, which has persisted for decades, now expanding from the Oromia Region into the Amhara Region.
Despite overwhelming evidence of gross human rights violations, Western powers remain reluctant to condemn the atrocities committed by the Abiy Ahmed regime. Instead, they continue to provide financial and military support through diplomatic relations, loans, and direct budgetary aid. In stark contrast to their vigorous response when fighting was in Tigray, where significant pressure was applied, the international response to the crisis in the Amhara Region has been comparatively muted. Countries like the UAE, Turkey, China, and reportedly Iran continue to supply drones and weapons, which are deployed directly against civilians. Meanwhile, European countries and the US have allowed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to fund Abiy’s war on Amhara through multi-billion-dollar loans, in response to his concession to adopting neoliberal policies that will likely impoverish the country further.
The actions of the Abiy Ahmed regime continue to pose a grave threat to the stability of Ethiopia and the broader region. The Amhara people continue to urge those with influence over Abiy Ahmed to take decisive measures to stop the atrocities and prevent further loss of life in the Amhara Region and elsewhere in Ethiopia. However, given the international community's failure to act effectively, the Amhara people remain resolute in determining their own future. They are steadfast in their commitment to end the ongoing genocide and ensure their survival and self-determination, with or without external support.
Read the Full Report Here.
Comments