Colonel Fantahum Muhabaw arrives in Addis Ababa. With him is Masresha Setie, who surrendered last month. (Photo : SM)
Borkena
Toronto – Despite recurring Fano claims of significant military gains in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, Colonel Fantahun Muhaba surrendered to the government.
State owned media outlets covered the story on Monday. But it is unclear as to when exactly he surrendered.
Ethiopian Defense Force helicopters reportedly picked him up from the Delanta area of the Amhara region.
Soon after Masresha Setie’s, who was also a senior AFPO, last month, there were reports that Colonel Fantahum Muhaba was also clandestinely negotiating with the government. Responding to the rumor, he told Diaspora based Ethiopian News outlet “who do I surrender to, to Berhanu Jula?” He was dismissing it.
Abiy Ahmed’s administration made several claims last year that his government is clandestinely negotiating with some fano forces.
Colonel Fantahun Muhaba was a relevant military leader within the Amhara Fano Popular Organization (AFPO) umbrella, and was in charge of forces in Wollo (aka Wollo Bete Amhara Teklay Gizat). He was also deputy head of AFPO.
Eskinder Nega, a leading fano figure within AFPO, confirmed the story in a statement he released. “He betrayed the Amhara people,” he said.
However, Eskinder gave testimonials that Colonel Fantahun has paid scarification for the Amhara cause for a long time. He made a reference to Colonel Fantahun’s arrest for over nine years ( under the Tigray People’s Liberation Front dominated federal government) on alleged grounds of coup plot. However, his arrest was portrayed as something related to his ethnic Amhara Identity.
Colonel Fantahun has been part of the Fano movement for over two and half years as a top military leader within AFPO and has played a significant role.
After news of his surrender, AFPO released a statement saying “a decision was passed to remove Colonel Fantahun from his leadership position.” It is blurry as to whether the surrender or the organization decision came first.
Another key point Eskinder revealed to the media was that Colonel Fantahun has been suffering from a medical condition but he declined to specify it.
Eskinder tends to think that “he did not expect that Colonel Fantahun would do this” – a point that seems to suggest that Eskinder did not have information about his removal as a military leader.
Social media sources report that Colonel Fantahum surrendered in opposition to alleged Fano forces military alliance with the TPLF and Eritrean government.
Pro-government cadres are celebrating the moment while projecting the image that “there are others who will surrender to the government.”
In response to pressure for a peaceful negotiation with Fano forces, the Ethiopian government has been calling for “to lay down arms and pursue their demand in a peaceful way.”
The Fano movement justifies its existence with a “mission to reverse existential threat against Amhara people.” It emerged in response to the massacre of ethnic Amhara’s in many parts of the country, particularly the Oromia region. It has been more than two and half years since the Federal government started “military operation” in the Amhara region on grounds of “disarming Fano forces within a few weeks.”
__
Support Borkena : https://borkena.com/subscribe-borkena/
Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena
Like borkena on Facebook
Borkena Ethiopian News Youtube Channel
To submit Press Release, send submission to info@borkena.com
Add your business to Ethiopian Business Listing / Ethiopian Business Directory
Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter) @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly.