As of February 18, 2026, the conflict in Ethiopia’s Amhara region has entered a critical new phase following the formal unification of major resistance factions into the Amhara Fano National Movement (AFNM) under the chairmanship of Zemene Kassie. The movement recently launched a coordinated offensive, claiming control over 20 districts, including the strategic hub of Debre Tabor. In response, federal forces have intensified their use of aerial warfare. On February 15, an open letter from the Amhara Association of America was submitted to the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, detailing 'grave concern' over 18 drone strikes on Debre Tabor on February 11 and the reported killing of 113 civilians in Wegdi District during artillery shelling on February 6. The AFNM has officially accused the administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of carrying out a 'genocidal war' and has called for an independent international investigation into state-led atrocities. Human Rights Watch and various humanitarian agencies have warned that the targeting of health professionals and infrastructure has brought the regional health system to the brink of total collapse, with millions of children currently out of school due to the ongoing violence.