Rebels in Ethiopia’s Amhara region claimed they have killed at least 45 federal troops and wounded 22 others in an ambush on Thursday.
“We inflicted heavy losses on enemy forces, killing 45 soldiers in Jama districts in Gojjam province of the region,” Estibel Alemu, deputy spokesperson of the Amhara Fano National Force (AFNF) said.
According to the deputy spokesperson, the Fano rebel forces also seized 37 AK 47 rifles after attacking the government troops in an ambush that was followed by fighting that lasted three hours between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 pm on Wednesday.
The spokesperson did not disclose if there was any casualty on the part of the Fano rebels.
“The soldiers had been going from Sede to Kesate Mariam Motta area in East Gojjam when the 54th division of Fano forces launched the attacks and killed them,” Alemu said.
The soldiers were reportedly on a mission to deliver logistic supplies to the army unit in Kesate Birhan area, military sources said.
The Ethiopian Defense Force have not reacted to the rebels, but claimed that an “increasing numbers of fano forces are surrendering”.
The conflict in Amhara has been underway for two and half years during which hundreds of civilians have been killed by drone strikes and extrajudicial executions by both sides, according to human rights groups.
Last month, they reported that well over 2000 woman were raped in the region in connection with the conflict.
The figure was based on an investigative report focusing only on 45 health centres in the region.
MG/as/APA