Updated March 24, 2024
The Amhara Association of America (AAA) has verified between February 24th and March 3rd, 2024, Abiy regime forces massacred at least 36 Amhara civilians and destroyed private and public property over multiple incidents in Merawi town and surrounding villages in North Gojjam Zone (Amhara Region, Ethiopia).
The first incident occurred on February 24th, when regime soldiers were advancing to an area called Gerechech (Mehal Genet) administrative center of South Mecha Woreda. Before reaching Gerechech in a village commonly known as Abiyot Fana the soldiers encountered several unarmed civilians sitting by the gate of their compound (residence). The soldiers then proceeded to shoot and kill five people including four members from a single family and their neighbor. AAA was able to identify the names of the five killed victims as follows: (1) Fitiha Negest Enkuane, (2) Mengistu Enkuane, (3) Yenesew Enkuane, (4) Alefe Enkuane, and (5) Melku Terefe. All of the victims were buried at the graveyard of the local St. George’s Church. Apart from this, regime forces repeatedly fired heavy artillery shells which resulted in complete destruction to three residential houses and partial damage to the Nibrete Bizuneh Secondary School. AAA also identified the victims whose houses were destroyed including: (1) Ewnete Tagele, (2) Priest Gebre Animut, and (3) Minale Animut.
The same day, February 24th, AAA confirmed that Abiy regime forces killed at least nine civilians in Merawi town. The massacre took place following clashes between Fano and regime soldiers in the town. According to sources, most of the killed victims were killed when they went out of their homes, thinking that the fighting had already stopped. It was possible to know that one of the killed victims was a person with a mental disability. AAA was able to identify the names of eight deceased victims as follows: (1) Abere Atalay, (2) Getinet Abie (a teacher), (3) Simachew Adamu Taye, (4) Abayneh Amaku Enyew, (5) Worku (last name unknown), (6) Shumet (last name unknown), (7) Bichenkegn (last name unknown) person with a mental disability, and (8) Tarekegn Ewnet. Among the nine killed victims, four were buried in Merawi St. Mary’s Church, and three others were buried at the cemetery of Abola St. George’s Church.
The following day, February 25th, regime soldiers killed another six civilians in Merawi town. According to sources, the soldiers said they did not want to waste their bullets and killed four of them with knives. Three of the six killed victims were buried in the cemetery of Merawi St. Mary’s Church.
In another incident, on February 28th, regime soldiers executed at least 14 civilians in Birakat Lay-Gafit St. Gabriel, a neighborhood of Merawi town. According to sources, on the day of the incident, the soldiers went to Lay-Gafit St. Gabriel’s Church at around midnight and carried out the massacre, killing 11 Abinet students, a church administrator, and two farmers. According to sources, the soldiers killed the Abinet students, claiming that they were giving “anti-bullet drugs” to Fano and also accused them of hiding Fanos.
AAA was able to identify the names of 13 of the killed victims. The first 10 victims are Abinet students at Lay-Gafit St. Gabriel’s Church: (1) Bewket Alelign, (2) Ephrem (last name unknown), (3) Yibeltal Damte Alebachew, (4) Gedamu Endaweke Negash, (5) Gebre-Eyesus (last name unknown), (6) Zer’a-Dawit (last name unknown), (7) Kale-Tsidik (last name unknown), (8) Sibhat (last name unknown), (9) Nahusenay (last name unknown), (10) Endalkachew (last name unknown), and (11) Priest Degarege Assaye (administrator of the church). The following killed victims were farm workers who were killed in the same incident: (12) Mulualem Emiru (from Zengacher), and (13) Endalamaw Worke (from Lay-Gafit).
On March 3rd, 2024, the regime soldiers executed two civilians they encountered on the street in Abiyot Fana Kebele. The killed victims were brothers, namely, Belay Gebeyaw and Temesgen Gebeyaw, with an estimated age of 20 and 16, respectively. The same day, regime soldiers looted and partially demolished a health station in Abiyot Fana Kebele.
Names of 28 killed victims in Merawi and surrounding villages by Abiy regime forces between February 24th and March 3rd, 2024.(see PDF)
