๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐๐๐ released 16/01/2016 Ethiopian Calendar (September 27/2023)
The document is from a meeting top Ethiopian military officials had with top government officials. It gives an assessment of the achievements and challenges faced by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) in Amhara region. Note: They donโt call Fano by its name in this document, referring to it as โextremist groupโ or โthis groupโ. Anything in brackets () was not in the document and is only there to give context.
๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐
๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง: ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ:
1. The extremist group (Fano) is decentralized so that has made it a challenge to finish this operation quickly. Its lack of centralization makes itโs hard to finish the law enforcement operation in a timely manner.
2. In some places this group has so much public support, itโs hard to root it out from the people.
3. This group has infiltrated the government institutions so deeply that they have managed to avoid ENDF operations by getting information ahead of time.
4. This groups' guerrilla warfare and ambushโs on the army has caused extensive damage and disrupted our supply lines.
5. These sustained attacks have caused exhaustion and division within ENDF.
6. The people (Amhara) have been subject to so much propaganda, that they now see the Ethiopian army as an enemy and are supporting the group.
7. The newly established regional administration has not setup its zonal and wereda administration at the speed itโs expected to.
8. Some of theย extreme actions we took (war crimes), with legal backing of the state of emergency, to put fear in the people has been secretly recorded and released, damaging ENDFs good reputation.
9. Our shelling of homes and places of worship in some of the urban fightings has made the people suspicious of us.
10. Our troops that were sent into cities for assessment have been accused of rape and looting by the people. Weโve received multiple complaints. People have tried to protest in some places where our troops were accused of rape. 11. In some places, farmers have started fighting ENDF after their crops sustained damages by the army.
12. The drastic increase in prices of produce in cities due to supply shortages, might cause an uprising from the people.
13. The group (Fano) might start to get support from civil servants, who are not getting paid at the moment.
14. Weโve been able to confirm from our public meetings with people throughout the region that neither the previous administration nor the current administration has the support of the people. The extremist group might wait for an opportune moment to attack the new administration.
15. The members of the new regional administration are suspicious of each other and donโt seem to have to capability to coordinate and work together.
16. The government employees within the region believe that the extremist group (Fano) is raising a legitimate question of the people, and are not taking orders of the new administration.
17. The questions the farmers have raised in regards to fertilizers and other supplies not being met has angered them and the protests might continue in the future.
18. International Pressure: - Our army is getting similar accusations it was getting during the war in Tigray. - Our historical enemies might use this opportunity to attack us. - The groups' (Fano) diaspora supporters might continue to protest and work to get Western governments to put pressure on the Ethiopian government. ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ:
1. After the law enforcement operation was started, we have managed to dislodge the looting group (Fano) out of the main cities and zones.
2. We prevented the regional coup attempt and have allowed the transition of power from the previous administration to the new one.
3. Weโve managed to open the major highways that go from Gojjam to Addis Ababa and the ones from Dessie and Debreberhan to Addis, allowing the flow of goods and alleviating the cost of goods increase.
4. The disrupted flights to the major cities have been restored.
5. Weโve curtailed the free movement of the enemy and its ability to communicate. 6. Action is being taken against the groups financiers. ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐:
1. We have to disrupt the public support this extremist group enjoys in the region. This group is responsible for looting, raping, and destroying infrastructure, and we have to make the people of the region aware of their crimes.
2. Since there is a large segment of people that believe this group believes in the superiority of one religion (Orthodox), we need to find different ways to amplify these peopleโs suspicions. (Create Christian Muslim divide).
3. We need to make nations and nationalities in Ethiopia aware that this group is anti Ethiopia and wants to swallow the different nations and nationalities and bring back the old unitary government.
4. We have to show people that this group is an obstacle to the prosperity journey that Ethiopia has started, and is getting support from our historical enemies (Egypt or Eritrea???).
5. We have to disrupt the groups unity and create internal division. Since the group has some issues with finance distributions, we have to use social media to amplify these problems. We have to infiltrate and sway some of the low level leaders of the group and have them work for us. Since there might be some differences between the top leaders of this group, we have to do more research to identify these differences and exploit them.
6. We have to eclipse the upper hand the group has on the propaganda war. - We have to identify the groups' Facebook army leaders and take action against them. - We have to do research on the YouTube channels that are releasing information and take action against them. - We have to take action against people who talk about the groups bravery in grocery stores and restaurants. - We have to take action against any drivers or business owners that have stickers or display of the group.
7. We have to have sustained discussions with the public. - We have to have discussions with the groupโs (Fano's) core support base, the farmers, and persuade them to be on our side. - Continue and expand the discussions weโre having with the people in cities. - Identifying the people that show ideological support to the group at these public meetings and taking action against them. - We have to get famous people, wealthy people, artists, religious leaders, Aba Gadas, and politicians to publicly condemn this group (Fano). New military strategy to follow:
1. Use new technology to search and take action against the groupโs (Fano) major military tactic of ambush attacks.
2. Using police and local militia that are familiar with the environment. 3. Strengthening the regions Protest Disruption Police force.
4. Identify the areas the group (Fano) uses for hiding and use air strikes to attack them.
5. Deploy the Republican Guard in major cities in order to disrupt the groupโs (Fano) attack on cities.
6. Send famous artists and bands to the military camps throughout the region to tackle the demoralization and exhaustion of the army.
7. Give encouragement to the Colonels and low level leaders within the army.
8. Take decisive action against ENDF soldiers that try to surrender to the group (Fano) or try to desert the army. Conclusion: Actions that will speed up the law enforcement operation in Amhara region:
1. Cutting off telecommunications, power, and banking for a โbriefโ period of time to put pressure on the people and exhaust them so they can turn on the group (Fano) and fight on our side.
2. Taking decisive action against those within the government that are colluding or providing intel to the group (Fano).
3. Taking successive, technology supported, military operations against the group (Fano).
4. Start a nation wide campaign to mobilize the people to give moral and material support to the army.
