Addis Ababa ( AMECO)- A total of 418 armed fighters in the West Gojjam zone of Ethiopia’s Amhara region have surrendered their weapons and accepted a government peace offer over the past year, according to local security officials.
Speaking from the zonal capital of Finote Selam, Commander Adugna Adamu, head of the West Gojjam Zone Peace and Security Department, told Amhara Media Corporation (AMECO) that the former combatants had completed rehabilitation training and rejoined civilian life.
The commander stated that many of those who laid down their arms have since been integrated into local employment schemes across various economic sectors.
Regional authorities have repeatedly issued peace calls and amnesties since security instability broke out in Amhara, urging members of non-state armed groups to renounce violence and return to regular livelihoods.
Highlighting the role of civil society, commander Adugna noted that local communities continue to collaborate closely with regional security apparatuses to restore stability across the zone.
However, the commander maintained a firm warning for active insurgents, stating that while the government’s offer of amnesty remains on the table, law enforcement and military operations will intensify against those who refuse to disarm. “The door to peace remains open,” the commander said, emphasizing that state operations would continue against combatants who reject peaceful reconciliation.
