In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict within Ethiopia’s Amhara region, the Shewa Command of the Amhara Fano National Movement (AFNM) has announced a major military victory against the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF). The operation, which reportedly took place on January 25, 2026, targeted the elite 105th Airborne Division stationed in the Merhabete district of the Shewa zone. According to a statement released by the AFNM Shewa Command, the 'Atse Dawit Division' of the Fano forces successfully executed a surprise offensive that resulted in substantial losses for the federal paratroopers. The confrontation centered around the vicinity of Mejit Kebele, located a short distance from the town of Rema. Fano spokespersons alleged that the 105th Airborne Division had been utilizing Rema as a staging ground for what they described as 'predatory tax collection' and systematic harassment of the local population. Reports from the movement suggest that federal forces had imposed arbitrary and disproportionately high tax rates on the rural peasantry, using physical force and intimidation to collect funds. The AFNM claimed that their intervention was a direct response to the pleas of local residents who were being subjected to severe beatings and financial extortion. The military engagement in Merhabete represents a notable development in the regional power struggle. The 105th Airborne is considered one of the more mobile and well-trained units within the ENDF, and its deployment to the rugged terrain of Shewa underscores the government's efforts to secure the central highlands. However, the Fano’s 'Atse Dawit Division' reportedly utilized their knowledge of the local topography to outmaneuver the federal troops, leading to a tactical victory that the movement is now using to bolster recruitment and morale across the Shewa zone. While the federal government in Addis Ababa has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the specific casualties or the status of the 105th Airborne in Merhabete, the region remains under a state of high tension. Local sources indicate that the road between Rema and neighboring districts has been intermittently closed due to the fighting, affecting the flow of goods and humanitarian aid. The Fano movement has vowed to continue its operations until the federal administration ceases its military presence in the Amhara heartland. As the conflict enters this renewed phase of intensity, the humanitarian situation for civilians caught in the crossfire continues to deteriorate, with many fleeing their homes to avoid the localized skirmishes that have become increasingly common in the Shewa and Wollo zones.