By The Habesha News Desk
October 5, 2025
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The Afar National Union Revolutionary Front (ANURF/Ugugumo) has issued a formal statement declaring solidarity with the Amhara Fano National Force, calling the current armed resistance in both regions a legitimate struggle against what it described as the “corrupt and oppressive” Prosperity Party regime.
In its statement addressed to “the honorable people of Afar and the nations and nationalities of Ethiopia,” ANURF said the Afar “Ugugumo” Liberation Front has long sacrificed for the “dignity, welfare, and sovereignty” of the Afar people and is now entering a new, organized phase of armed resistance.
Accusations Against the Prosperity Party Regime
The group accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party of betraying Afar sovereignty and manipulating inter-ethnic divisions for political gain. The statement listed four key grievances:
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The government’s alleged plan to hand over Afar’s sovereign territories to external actors.
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A “deceptive war campaign” under the pretext of reclaiming the Red Sea, which ANURF said is actually designed to pit Afar against Afar.
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Seven years of monopolized regional governance, corruption, and the deliberate creation of clan divisions.
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The training of foreign forces on Afar land to serve Abiy Ahmed’s “personal ambitions.”
The movement asserted that, due to these injustices, armed resistance has become both “legitimate and necessary” to protect the Afar people from further suffering.
On the Ongoing Conflict in Afar Region
According to the statement, ANURF claimed to have made “significant advances” in dismantling what it called the Abiy-imposed administration of Awol Arba, reporting that several former officials and military personnel have joined their cause.
The group further accused the federal government of siding with Somali regional authorities and Djibouti in supporting Issa ethnic militias, who have allegedly conducted repeated attacks on Afar communities. ANURF denounced this as a “national betrayal,” alleging that Addis Ababa has pressured Afar leaders to accept Issa militia incursions into Afar’s sovereign lands.
The statement also condemned the government’s reported efforts to mobilize forces on Afar territory against Eritrea, warning that such moves threaten not only the Afar people but also Ethiopia’s national and regional security.
Solidarity with Fano and Operation “Adem Ali”
In its closing remarks, ANURF expressed support for the Amhara Fano National Force – Menelik Command, which has been engaged in prolonged conflict with federal forces in the Amhara Region.
“The Fano forces, who began their struggle with bare hands, are now conducting organized and mechanized military operations,” the statement said, confirming that the current campaign—Operation Adem Ali—is named after a “martyred Muslim Fano commander.”
ANURF described the Fano movement as an example of “popular resistance and sacrifice” and vowed that the Afar struggle would continue “until full freedom is achieved.”
Background:
The Afar National Union Revolutionary Front (ANURF), also known as Ugugumo, has been active for decades advocating for Afar autonomy and resistance against perceived marginalization. In recent years, tensions between the Afar Region and the federal government have escalated due to territorial disputes with Somali forces and allegations of government interference.