Belay Zeleke International Airport, Bahir Dar, Amhara Region Photo: Social Media)

Addis Abeba– The Ethiopian Ministry of Defense has dismissed recent social media claims alleging a helicopter crash in Bahir Dar, the capital of the Amhara region, describing the claims as “misleading.”

In a statement issued on 17 November, 2024, the Ministry explained that the Western Air Command, based in Bahir Dar, conducted scheduled air force training exercises on November 16. According to the Ministry, these drills required a “temporary suspension of regular civilian flights.”

The statement added that the suspension led to rumors on social media suggesting that a helicopter had “crashed or been damaged.” However, the Ministry firmly stated that “no helicopter has been damaged or faced any issues during the drills.”

The exercises, part of regular air force training, were described as having “successfully concluded,” with the Western Air Command resuming all planned operations. “Normal civilian flight schedules have now resumed,” the Ministry confirmed.

The statement was issued in response to social media claims alleging that a military helicopter belonging to the Ethiopian Air Force crashed on Saturday at Belay Zeleke International Airport in Bahir Dar.

Referring to the claims, the Ministry stated, “We would like to inform you that there is no crashed helicopter, unless what we are witnessing is perhaps the total collapse and crumbling of the enemy in its capabilities and propaganda field.”

The Amhara region has been experiencing fourteen months of intense militarized conflict between government forces and non-state Fano militias.

This conflict intensified in October 2024, following a joint declaration by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Amhara regional government, announcing their intention to continue “law enforcement operations” until “peace is fully restored.” AS