The latest report by the Amhara Association of America (AAA) on Tuesday chronicled a detailed account of widespread human rights violations and violence in Ethiopia’s Amhara region and neighbouring areas, covering the period between August 2023 and August 2024.
The report has documented a series of abuses, which have severely impacted civilians, with over 3,200 casualties and significant damage to infrastructure and essential services.
According to the AAA, a total of 3,283 civilian casualties were recorded, with 2,592 individuals killed and 691 injured in over 200 incidents, including drone attacks. These incidents spanned across 16 administrative zones and cities in both the Amhara and Oromia regions. The report highlights North Shewa and South Gonder as the most affected areas within the Amhara region.
The report attributed the majority of the human rights violations to state forces, primarily the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF).
It detailed how these forces, in collaboration with regional militias and police units, were responsible for widespread violence outside of active conflict zones. In addition, armed non-state actors, such as the Oromo Liberation Front/Army (OLF/A), also played a role in various attacks.
The AAA asserted that these groups often coordinated their assaults, resulting in numerous civilian deaths and injuries.
“Aside from killings, the report underscored other forms of violence, including sexual assaults, looting, and destruction of both private and public property. A notable tactic mentioned is the use of telecommunications blackouts, especially in the Amhara region, which hindered communication and reporting of ongoing violations,” the report highlighted.
According to the report, the human toll is compounded by significant damage to infrastructure, particularly educational and healthcare facilities.
Over 4,000 schools have been closed, leaving more than 4.1 million children out of school in the Amhara region.
The disruption of humanitarian aid has exacerbated the situation, with approximately two million Amhara people are in urgent need of assistance.
The report indicates that several individuals have already died due to starvation.
MG/as/APA