ADDIS ABABA, July 2, 2026 (Horn News Hub)— Reports emerging from parts of Ethiopia’s Tigray region allege that members of the Amhara armed group commonly known as Fano have been operating alongside fighters affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in an ongoing campaign of forced youth conscription.
According to field monitors and local journalistic sources, the reported collaboration includes military coordination, logistical support, and the establishment of operational bases in areas including Tembien, Raya, and Northwestern Tigray. The reports further claim that the two armed groups have formed joint units conducting operations in these locations.
The allegations state that security operations have included raids on churches and mosques where young people were reportedly detained and taken for military recruitment. Individuals allegedly conscripted during the operations were transported by commercial vehicles to military training facilities controlled by the TPLF, according to the same sources.
The reports also allege that some detained youths have been transferred across the border into Eritrea, where they were reportedly taken to the Sawa Military Training Camp. These claims have not been independently verified, and no official statements have been issued by the governments of Ethiopia or Eritrea regarding the allegations.
Community leaders, religious figures, and residents cited by local sources have expressed concern over the reported recruitment campaign. According to the reports, fear of forced conscription has prompted many young people to flee their homes and seek refuge in remote rural areas, forests, and mountainous terrain.
Field monitors in Samre Wereda reported that displaced youths have been living in difficult conditions for extended periods with limited access to food and clean drinking water.
The reported developments have raised concerns among local communities about the humanitarian situation and regional security. The allegations have prompted renewed calls from observers for independent investigations into the reported abuses and for humanitarian agencies to assess conditions affecting civilians.
As of the time of publication, the allegations contained in the field reports remain independently unverified. Neither representatives of the TPLF nor Fano have publicly responded to the claims, and independent verification has been limited due to restricted access to affected areas.
