By Soyome Getachew
Claim
On May 13, 2026, an X account shared a video with a caption. The caption states: “Distressing video shows Ethiopian National Defense Force soldiers in uniform brutally abusing, mutilating, and murdering an innocent Amhara civilian.”
Verdict
False. The video circulating online does not show a recent incident involving Ethiopian soldiers in the Amhara region. Instead, digital forensic analysis confirms the footage first appeared on social media as early as February 2024 and again in December 2024. Consequently, the claim that this video depicts Ethiopian National Defense Force soldiers brutally abusing an innocent Amhara civilian on or just before May 13, 2026, is completely unsupported. Therefore, the post misrepresents outdated material as a fresh atrocity, making the overall assertion false.
Investigation and Findings
On May 13, 2026, an X account named “ኤልያስ @Eliasyemariam” shared a concerning video. This account has over 800 followers. The footage allegedly depicts Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) soldiers abusing a civilian. The caption reads: “Distressing video shows Ethiopian National Defense Force soldiers in uniform brutally abusing, mutilating, and murdering an innocent Amhara civilian.” (see screenshot below).
Consequently, the tweet gained significant traction before this fact-check was published. It amassed more than 6,000 views, 130 likes, and over 135 retweets.
However, our verification team conducted a thorough analysis. We used reverse image search and the InVID WeVerify tools. The investigation then established that the video is not recent. In fact, the earliest confirmed appearances of the footage date to February 24, 2024, and December 30, 2024. Previously, a Facebook page called Sagalee Haqaa and an X account called Ethiopian.Defenders circulated the same footage. (Review the visual evidence provided below).
Thus, the footage is recycled and presented out of context. The post shared by the X account makes a false allegation. It claims Ethiopian National Defense Force soldiers “recently, brutally abused, mutilated, and murdered an innocent Amhara civilian.” This claim is false.
Context
Tensions between the Ethiopian federal government and the Amhara region have grown increasingly tense in recent years. This shift became particularly pronounced after the Tigray conflict concluded. Meanwhile, armed groups such as Fano have emerged. Disputes over regional security structures and political representation have also fueled instability. As a result, several parts of the Amhara region continue to face ongoing unrest.
The federal government maintains that its security operations serve specific goals. These include restoring order, enforcing the rule of law, and suppressing armed insurgency. Nevertheless, local communities and some Amhara residents have expressed serious concerns about these operations. They allege that these operations have sometimes caused civilian harm and deepened insecurity.
Given this complex and rapidly evolving situation, a highly sensitive environment has emerged. Misinformation and recycled videos spread rapidly under these conditions. For this reason, claims about alleged abuses or security incidents demand rigorous verification. Audiences should never accept such claims as accurate or current without proper evidence. Our investigation confirms that the earliest known appearances of this specific footage date back to the year 2024.
MFC does not take a position on any political conflict in Ethiopia’s administrative regions. However, the facts on the ground are clear. In recent years, the Ethiopian federal government has remained in conflict with the armed group known as Fano. Consequently, credible international rights groups have documented serious human rights violations against civilians in the Amhara regional state. These groups include Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the United Nations.
Meanwhile, our finding identified the earliest appearances of this specific video. Specifically, the footage dates back to December 2024 and February 2024, not to May 2026. That said, this finding does not exempt any party from accountability. Indeed, documented abuses of civilian rights must still be addressed. Nevertheless, this particular post misrepresents outdated material as a fresh atrocity. Therefore, the video is unusable as evidence for the claim asserted in the post.
Conclusion
Based on MFC’s verification, the video shared on May 13, 2026, does not support the viral post’s claim. Digital forensic checks confirm this conclusion decisively. Specifically, reverse image search and InVID WeVerify analysis prove the footage is not recent. The same video circulated online in 2024 across multiple platforms. Therefore, someone has reused the content and presented it out of context. Their goal was to falsely imply a recent incident involving Ethiopian National Defense Force soldiers.
Consequently, the claim is false. It asserts that the video depicts Ethiopian military personnel recently, brutally abusing, mutilating, and murdering an innocent Amhara civilian. Yet the available evidence tells a different story. The footage is old. Moreover, it has been deliberately misrepresented in recent social media posts. Readers should treat similar viral claims with skepticism and always verify the original source and date of any video before sharing.
