![\"Colonel](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Colonel-Fantahun-Muhabaw-Surrender-_-Ethiopia-News.jpg\")
Colonel Fantahum Muhabaw arrives in Addis Ababa. With him is Masresha Setie, who surrendered last month. (Photo : SM)<\/p>\nColonel Fantahum Muhabaw arrives in Addis Ababa. With him is Masresha Setie, who surrendered last month. (Photo : SM)<\/p>\n
Borkena<\/p>\n
Toronto \u2013 Despite recurring Fano claims of significant military gains in the Amhara region of Ethiopia,\u00a0 Colonel Fantahun Muhaba surrendered to the government.\u00a0<\/p>\n
State owned media outlets covered the story on Monday. But it is unclear as to when exactly he surrendered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ethiopian Defense Force helicopters reportedly picked him up from the Delanta area of the Amhara region.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Soon after Masresha Setie\u2019s, who was also a senior AFPO, last month, there were reports that Colonel Fantahum Muhaba was also clandestinely negotiating with the government.\u00a0 Responding to the rumor, he told Diaspora based Ethiopian News outlet \u201cwho do I surrender to, to Berhanu Jula?\u201d He was dismissing it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Abiy Ahmed\u2019s administration made several claims last year that his government is clandestinely negotiating with some fano forces.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Colonel Fantahun Muhaba was a relevant military\u00a0 leader within the Amhara Fano Popular Organization (AFPO) umbrella, and was in charge of forces in Wollo<\/a> (aka Wollo Bete Amhara Teklay Gizat). He was also deputy head of AFPO.\u00a0<\/p>\n Eskinder Nega, a leading fano figure within AFPO, confirmed the story in a statement he released. \u201cHe betrayed the Amhara people,\u201d\u00a0 he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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\u2019s arrest for over nine years ( under the Tigray People\u2019s Liberation Front dominated federal government) on alleged grounds of coup plot. However, his arrest was portrayed as something related to his ethnic Amhara Identity.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n After news of his surrender, AFPO released a statement saying \u201ca decision was passed to remove Colonel Fantahun from his leadership position.\u201d\u00a0 It is blurry as to whether the surrender or the organization decision came first.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n Eskinder tends to think that \u201che did not expect that Colonel Fantahun would do this\u201d \u2013 a point that seems to suggest that Eskinder did not have information about his removal as a military leader.\u00a0<\/p>\n Social media sources report that Colonel Fantahum surrendered in opposition to alleged Fano forces military alliance with the TPLF and Eritrean government.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pro-government cadres are celebrating the moment while projecting the image that \u201cthere are others who will surrender to the government.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In response to pressure for a peaceful negotiation with Fano forces, the Ethiopian government has been calling for \u201cto lay down arms and pursue their demand in a peaceful way.\u201d<\/p>\n The Fano movement justifies its existence with a \u201cmission to reverse existential threat against Amhara people.\u201d It emerged in response to the massacre of ethnic Amhara\u2019s in many parts of the country, particularly the Oromia region.\u00a0 It has been more than two and half years since the Federal government started \u201cmilitary operation\u201d in the Amhara region on grounds of \u201cdisarming Fano forces within a few weeks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n __<\/p>\n Support Borkena\u00a0 : <\/a>https:\/\/borkena.com\/subscribe-borkena\/ Borkena Ethiopian News Youtube Channel<\/a><\/p>\n To submit Press Release<\/a>, send submission to info@borkena.com<\/p>\n Add your business to Ethiopian<\/a> Business Listing<\/a> \/ Ethiopian Business Directory\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter)\u00a0 @zborkena<\/a> to get the latest Ethiopian News <\/a>updates regularly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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