Afar militias fighting the Ethiopian army supporting Fano
HaqCheck encounted Facebook posts (here, here, here, here) sharing a particulat image with a claim that Afar militants joined Amhara Fano militants in waging a fighting against the Ethiopian government.
The Facebook posts use an old image that is out of context to support the claim that Afars are fighting the Ethiopian army and supporting Fano militias.
The image was first published on Facebook in May 2021, and the original description says that it shows armed conflict between Afar and Somali militants.
Additionally, there is no evidence to support the claim that Afars were fighting with the Ethiopian army troops.
The Sitti zone is located in the Somali regional state and borders the Afar and Oromia regions. There have been reports of conflict and violence in the area in recent years, but there is no evidence to suggest that Afars are fighting the Ethiopian army along with Fano militants.
Eritrea deploys troops near the Ethiopian border
Social media posts (here, here) have claimed that Eritrea has massed its troops near the Ethiopian border and made military preparations following controversial statements by the Ethiopian government about access to the Red Sea. The posts used different images to support the claim.
Ethiopian government officials recently made controversial statements about Ethiopia’s right to have access to the Red Sea.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told members of the Ethiopian parliament that Ethiopia needs to have access to the sea via the Red Sea or the Indian Ocean. The Eritrean government responded by saying that it was not interested in participating in such discussions.
However, the images were old and do not prove the allegation that Eritrea deployed its troops near the Ethiopian border.
The first image in the Facebook post above was originally published on a website in August 2021 with a description that the Ethiopian and Eritrean militaries were preparing for a coordinated offensive using Turkish drones against the forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
The second image was first posted on Facebook in February 2021 with a caption that appreciates the support of the Eritrean military for Ethiopia during the war with the TPLF.
Recommendations
HaqCheck recommends social media users to be skeptical of misleading posts, especially those from unknown or unverifiable sources. They should verify claims before reacting.
Social media content creators should be responsible and avoid spreading false or misleading information.
Public institutions and other concerned entities should provide timely and up-to-date information on a regular basis.
To counter disinformation, access to information is key. The government should guarantee the right of the public and the media to access information.
