The United Nations is concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in northern Ethiopia due to the continuing clashes between the regional militia and the country's armed forces, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday.
"We are very concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation in some regions of Ethiopia. In Amhara region, following a flare-up in clashes between the Ethiopian military and the regional Fano militia, and the declaration of a state of emergency on 4 August, the situation worsened considerably. At least 183 people have been killed in clashes since July," Marta Hurtado said in a statement.
The state of emergency allows the Ethiopian authorities to "arrest suspects without a court order, impose curfews and ban public gatherings," she said, adding that over 1,000 people, mainly young men suspected of being militia supporters, have been arrested in the region over the past month.
"We call on the authorities to stop mass arrests, ensure that any deprivation of liberty is judicially reviewed, and release those arbitrarily detained," Hurtado said.
The Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged all sides to the conflict to stop the "killings, other violations and abuses" as the Ethiopian armed forces are gaining ground and the militia reportedly retreating to rural areas.
Fighting in the Amhara region has been taking place in various areas, including the popular tourist destination of Gondar. In light of these events, Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to the cities of Lalibela and Gondar.
Fano backed federal troops in a two-year civil war in the neighboring Tigray Region until a peace treaty was signed in November 2022, which sparked dissatisfaction among Amharan nationalists.