More than 20 civilians were killed by government forces in an attack on Sunday, October 27, 2024, in Addis Kedam, Awi Zone, Amhara region, according to residents, victims’ families, and eyewitnesses cited by the BBC.

Clashes between government forces and Fano militants in Addis Kedam, Awi Zone, about 104 kilometers from Bahir Dar, reportedly left 23 people dead, including children, according to the BBC.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reported that it had received information on the killings and is currently working to confirm details and assess the victim count.

Gunfire between the two forces reportedly began around 8:00 a.m. on October 27 in Addis Qadam, the Fageta Lekoma woreda, according to residents.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC that as shooting intensified around town, Fano forces took control of “most of the town” by midday. The shooting continued until 4 p.m. when Fano forces withdrew. Federal forces then conducted house-to-house searches, reportedly executing civilians in the aftermath.

“The soldiers were killing any civilian they found on the street in the town center,” a resident testified, calling the killings “apparently revenge.”

After the shooting stopped, the crowd moved in to collect the bodies of those killed on the street, with burials held over several days in Addis Kidam and nearby villages, it was said.