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Residents and health professionals in Debremarkos, the capital of East Gojam Zone, say that more than 100 people may have been killed in fighting between the Defense Forces and Fano militants from Friday, August 25 to Monday, August 28.
A doctor at the Debremarkos Specialized Hospital, who did not want to be named, said that the bodies of the deceased were found lying on the road for more than two days.
“Some people picked up the bodies that fell on the spot, both Muslims and Christians, and buried them in and around Maryam Church, but they were not buried until Monday,” the doctor said.
The doctor also said that there were a few people who were injured and went to the hospital during the three days of fighting, but that many people lost their lives because they could not get to the hospital due to the lack of transport and human movement.
The manager of Debremarkos General Specialized Hospital confirmed that 25 people were injured and hospitalized from Friday to Monday and that three of them died instantly. He said that the people who were injured in the shooting and entered the hospital and died were people aged between 17 and 50 years old.
The manager also said that the hospital was not damaged in the fighting, but that the ongoing conflict is making it difficult for the hospital to operate. He said that medical staff are unable to move around freely and that patients are not being treated.
He added that the hospital is also running out of drugs and that if the security situation does not improve, the hospital will be in big trouble.
In addition to Debremarkos General Specialized Hospital, there are eight neighboring primary hospitals. The manager said that patients who need referral treatment are in trouble because they cannot get to the hospital due to the lack of transport services.
He pointed out that there was no movement of people or vehicles in Debremarkos during the last four days of the conflict.
The fighting between the Defense Forces and Fano militants is the latest in a series of clashes between government forces and armed groups in Ethiopia. The government has blamed the Fano militants for the violence, but the group has denied responsibility.
The fighting has caused widespread displacement and humanitarian needs in the region. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that more than 20,000 people have been displaced by the violence in East Gojam Zone.
OCHA has called for an immediate end to the fighting and for the safe passage of humanitarian assistance to reach those in need.
