Heavy fighting broke out in the Amhara region between federal government forces and Fano militants, with reports indicating intense gunfire and loud explosions echoing across various parts of Gondar town on Sunday.

According to the BBC Amharic report, the clashes were particularly fierce in Maraki, Lideta, and Kebele 18 areas of the town. A resident of the town, who requested anonymity, said “The clashes erupted after Fano militants attacked two police stations and liberated prisoners.” The resident further stated that after the assault on the police stations, a sudden burst of heavy gunfire erupted in numerous parts of the city, leading to civilian death and injury.

“We launched an attack to demonstrate our capability to enter the town of Gondar at will and to liberate hundreds of our detained members,” stated a public relations officer for the Fano group, which operates in the Gondar area. The officer also mentioned that during Sunday’s fighting, Fano targeted the third and sixth police stations, liberating hundreds of detainees who had been held under the state of emergency decrees.

Nonetheless, a statement from the Ethiopian National Defence Forces said that government forces successfully thwarted militia attacks, killing more than 50 and forcing the remaining to retreat from the town.

The public relations officer of the militant group, however, asserted that the death toll provided by the authorities was “false.” He added that the attack resulted in the liberation of hundreds of prisoners and inflicted damage on security forces and property. He emphasized that undertaking such operations without making sacrifices is not possible.

Another resident who spoke to the BBC Amharic described the situation on Sunday, stating, “In the early morning, Fano militants took control of areas from Maraki to Piazza, but in the afternoon, the federal forces reinforced their presence and pushed the militants out of most areas of the town.”

In their statement, the federal forces alleged that the Fano militants, who had infiltrated the town, were involved in robberies at a consumer cooperative. However, the public relations officer of Fano strongly refutes these allegations, affirming that during their six-day control of the town, they protected banks and other public institutions. “We couldn’t have engaged in theft from cooperatives,” he told BBC.

Several civilians, including women and children, have been killed and injured, including women and children, in the ongoing conflict. According to residents, the wounded were initially taken to the hospital for treatment. However, they allege that the security forces subsequently transferred them to an undisclosed location, abruptly halting their medical care.

Another town resident reported that his brother, who shines shoes to help support his sizable family, was admitted to the hospital with a gunshot wound. He was among five wounded civilians who were subsequently taken from the hospital to an undisclosed location.