Armed groups wreak havoc in northern Ethiopia

The Reporter, a newspaper affiliated with the ruling party in Ethiopia, is reporting that armed groups are currently wreaking havoc in northern Ethiopia, particularly outside Gondar. The newspaper calls the armed groups “bandits.” However, every one knows that they are resistance fighters and their targets are ruling party officials and assets.

Bandits wreaking havoc outside Gondar

By Hayal Alemayehu | The Reporter

Armed bandits who carry out ambushes in the woods nearby Dabat as well as Debark and Wogera, small neighboring towns within a radius of 40 to 100kms from the northeast Ethiopian town of Gondar, are becoming a threat to the security of the localities and travelers crossing these village towns, it was leaned.

A spate of bandit attack and theft has occurred outside these small towns particularly over the last one month where two civilians and a police officer were killed by gunmen who have not been wholly identified, according to an official of the regional government who declined to be identified because the concerned authorities are currently conducting an investigation.

While the official put the number of victims at three, some localities said the number could be more than ten.

According to the unnamed government official, the security situation outside these small towns has been worsening at an alarming rate with armed bandits wreaking havoc outside these village towns.

The official said that the concerned government authorities were closely investigating the case and that every effort would be made to keep the unprovoked threat at bay.

According to the official, some of the bandits are said to have been wounded in an operation by a team of a trained militia of the area, including their alleged leader named Gebre Agide.

Officials of some of the localities approached by The Reporter fear that the bandits may get stronger unless they are apprehended soon.