Ethiopia’s Rebels Are Collapsing. That Doesn’t Mean The War Is Over
Simon Whistler • October 5, 2026
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Note: this transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or inconsistencies.
On Sunday, the 20th of September, Zemaina Kassi, the leader of the Amhara ethno-nationalist militia group the Fano, made an announcement that stunned regional observers.
During an appearance on local outlet Digre TV, Kassi announced that the Fano had teamed up with six other regional militias, each with their own score to settle with the government to form the Ethiopian People's Forces Alliance for Survival. And that alliance has one goal: the removal of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from government.
Observers were stunned because these groups didn't just have beef with the government, some of them also had decades of bad blood with each other. The fact that they were coming together indicated just how big of a threat they consider Abiy Ahmed's government to be. It was also indicative of the scale of the problem that was now facing Addis Ababa.
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About this briefing
The anti-Abiy alliance was fractured from birth, and federal forces have retaken Mekelle. But a guerrilla TPLF, rebel drones, and Eritrea's looming intervention could still widen the war.