Political analyst Faisal Roble has issued a warning against underestimating the Fano forces in Ethiopia, highlighting their growing influence, particularly within the Amhara region. According to Roble, the Amhara region not only possesses significant economic power and a large diaspora but also exerts considerable influence over Ethiopia’s intellectual and administrative sectors, especially in Addis Ababa.
Roble stated the region’s strategic importance and abundant resources, which bolster its role in the nation’s political dynamics. He argues that the current anti-Amhara sentiment, which is being fueled by the Prosperity Party (PP) government, may have limited effect as it does not stem from the Amhara community itself.
This warning comes in the wake of Fano forces seizing key strategic areas, including the Ethiopian town of Metema near the Sudanese border. In response, authorities in Sudan’s eastern Al-Qadarif state have closed the Gallabat border crossing with Ethiopia. Sudan Tribune reports that Sudanese authorities permitted disarmed Ethiopian federal police and army personnel to cross into Sudan, while Fano militia members allowed stranded Sudanese nationals to enter Ethiopia.
Roble further speculates that if the Fano forces, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), and a reorganized Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) can find common ground and form an alliance, it could significantly threaten Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s tenure, potentially shortening his time in office.
