Amhara Peace Council Confirms Killing Of North Gojjam Leader

Attacks on civilians and aid workers on the rise

The Amhara Regional State Peace Council has confirmed that one of its senior members has been killed after spending weeks as a captive in the hands of an armed group.

The kidnapping and eventual killing of Melakmihret Nekatibeb Genet, the Council’s head representative in the North Gojjam Zone, has deepened fears over the safety of peace mediators and humanitarian workers in the region.

In a statement issued this week, the Council said Melakemihret was abducted on July 8, 2025 from a church where he was serving and was killed a month later on August 12 in Dahna Mariam (an area alleged to be outside government control) after what it described as “mistreatment” at the hands of his captors.

“He was actively involved in conflict resolution efforts in the region, working through dialogue, reconciliation initiatives, and community consultations at public gatherings and peace forums,” the Council’s statement noted, adding that Melakemihret had “consistently urged armed groups to engage in negotiations with the government to ease the suffering of the population.”

Eyachew Teshale, head of public relations for the Council, told The Reporter that Melakemihret’s abductors killed him after demanding a hefty ransom for his freedom.

“His family informed us that the captors demanded 1.6 million Birr for his release. They eventually paid about 210,000 Birr, but when they could not pay more, he was killed on August 12,” Eyachew said, stressing that the circumstances reflected the “complexity of the conflict” and the lack of accountability among armed groups.

Eyachew also rejected claims on social media that the Council’s peace initiative was weakening one side, insisting it mirrored past negotiation efforts between the federal government and other insurgent groups in other regional states.

“Dialogue should not be misunderstood as weakening a struggle or giving recognition to one side. It is simply an effort to bring about a negotiated peace,” he said.

The killing comes days after the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) confirmed the abduction and killing of staff member Honelegn Fantahun on 14 August in the Amhara region.

Last year, footage circulated online showed armed groups forcing elders, later identified as Peace Council members by the regional communication bureau, to crawl on their knees. Four of them were later executed in an act condemned by regional authorities as “brutal.”

Observers say the repeated targeting of mediators and aid workers has created a climate of fear, further weakening attempts to broker dialogue in a conflict that has already displaced tens of thousands and claimed countless lives.

The Amhara Peace Council was formed in June 2024 through a community meeting with the aim of facilitating dialogue between government forces and armed ‘Fano’ groups. However, Eyachew admitted the results it has yielded so far are “hardly sufficient.”

“The conflict is broad and complex, with many actors and competing interests. In such a war, speaking about peace, dialogue, and negotiation is extremely difficult. But peace never comes without sacrifice or trial,” he said.

Eyachew added that while both the government and armed groups have shown mistrust, the Council remains determined to continue its work.

“Even if the price is high, the peace effort must continue. We believe every actor, including the international community, should pressure both sides toward dialogue,” Eyachew told The Reporter.

Analysts note that the Amhara conflict, now well into its second year, has created overlapping humanitarian, security, and political crises. The killing of a peace council leader alongside the murder of aid workers is seen as a troubling indicator of shrinking space for mediation and civilian protection.

Still, the Council says it will not abandon its mandate.

“We were formed by the will of the people. Peace work is part of humanitarian work,” Eyachew said. “Until peace comes, we must make every possible effort.”