Command Post announces amended curfew hours in Amhara region

Addis Ababa, October 22, 2023 (FBC) – The State of Emergency Central Command Post announced that the curfew hours imposed in the Amhara region has been amended following the encouraging improvement of security, peace and stability of the region.

Addressing the local media outlets regarding the issue, the Head of the Amhara Region Communications Service and member of the command post, Mr. Mengesha Fentaw, said that the security situation in the region has been improving from time to time.

To this end, the federal and regional security forces and the peace-loving people have made a concerted effort to achieve the relatively returning peace and normalcy in the Amhara region, according to him.

Mengesha mentioned that in most of the major cities of the region, people are moving peacefully, government service sectors, private businesses and development undertakings have returned to normalcy owing to the concerted efforts.

For this reason, public holidays and festivals, high-level conferences and traininngs were held peacefully in the region recently, the Communications Head asserted.

He said that at present, national defense forces are handing over the areas with relative peace and normalcy to the security forces of the region to focus on the remaining areas.

After reviewing the encouraging progress of peace in the region, the State of Emergency General Central Command Post has announced revised curfew hours in major cities of the region.

In that regard, the curfew hours imposed on movement of people in the cities of Bahir Dar, Gondar and Debre-Berhan has been amended from until 8 pm to 3 pm. However, the curfew on the movement of vehicles has not been revised but will continue based on the existing restrictions, the official confirmed.

Depending on the progress of peace and stability, the decisions of the command post and the situation of other cities and areas of the region will be disclosed to the public in due time, Mengesha revealed.

It is to be recalled that the FDRE House of Peoples’ Representatives has approved the state of emergency declared by the Council of Ministers during its 23rd Regular Session on August 4, 2023. The state of emergency was endorsed to control the armed conflict and ensure peace and security in the region. On August 5, 2023, Minister of Justice, Mr. Gedion Timothewos confirmed that the state of emergency will remain in force for six months.