A six-month state of emergency was declared on 4 August 2023 by the Ethiopian government in response to severe conflict and instabilities in Amhara Region after the Amhara militia Fano and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) clashed in several locations in the region on 1 August.

The state of emergency restrictions include a ban on public gatherings, warrantless arrests, as well as imposing of curfew.

Internet access has been blocked and Ethiopian Airlines flights to Gondar and Lalibela have been cancelled until the ENDF military retook the towns after a week since the start of the clash.

[6] Following their control of Amhara towns, the Ethiopian parliament issued arbitrary arrest and searches for civilians without warrant on 13 August.

The measure was criticized by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission stating "there has been widespread arrest of civilians who are of ethnic Amhara origin."