By Kirubel Tesfaye
Claim: On October 8, 2025, a widely shared Facebook image claimed to show a truck transporting Fano militant uniforms from Mekelle. The post alleged a link between Almeda Textile Factory, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), and Fano militias, with suggestions of Eritrean involvement (see image). The image was shared here, here and here.
Verdict: The viral image linking Almeda Textile and TPLF to Fano uniforms is false. The image is unrelated to Fano, TPLF, or Almeda Textile. It originates from a 2021 Ethiopian Federal Police post about counterfeit clothing and has no connection to current conflicts or militant groups.
Investigation and Findings
MFC conducted a reverse image search and traced the photo to a September 7, 2021 post by the Ethiopian Federal Police. The truck, bearing plate number 3-26981 Ethiopia, was intercepted in Sebeta Hawas woreda, Oromia Region. It was transporting 155 tons of counterfeit clothing from Hosanna to Addis Ababa via Butajira. The goods were valued at over 1.5 million birr.
Screenshot of a post published on October 8, 2025
Despite its original context, the image resurfaced in 2025 across multiple Facebook accounts, suggesting a coordinated attempt to mislead. MFC also examined the operational status of Almeda Textile Factory in Adwa, Tigray. Satellite imagery taken on August 2023 showed extensive war damage—collapsed structures, scorch marks, and debris. By 2025, partial repairs were visible from satellite images, but no signs of full-scale production were evident.
Screenshot of satellite imagery of Almeda Textile Factory taken on August 31, 2023
No credible evidence supports claims that Almeda is currently manufacturing uniforms for Fano. MFC reached out to the original claimants but received no response.
Conclusion
The claim linking Almeda Textile and TPLF to Fano militant uniforms is a fabrication. The image used is repurposed from a 2021 police seizure of counterfeit clothing. Its resurgence in 2025 appears to be part of a deliberate disinformation campaign aimed at inflaming tensions and distorting public perception.
In a time of heightened political sensitivity, such falsehoods can deepen mistrust and destabilize fragile peace efforts. Vigilance and verification remain essential tools in safeguarding truth.
Context
Ethiopia’s current geopolitical landscape is marked by volatility. The Amhara region continues to experience armed clashes between Fano militias and federal forces. Fano, once a symbol of patriotic resistance, now represents fragmented militias resisting federal disarmament efforts. These groups claim to defend Amhara rights but have escalated into open conflict since late 2023, resulting in civilian displacement, travel restrictions, and internet blackouts.
In Tigray, divisions persist between the TPLF and the Tigray Interim Administration. The Pretoria Agreement of 2022 aimed to end the civil war, but its implementation remains incomplete. TPLF-aligned forces have seized local administrations, and Eritrea’s alleged support for dissident factions has reignited fears of renewed conflict.
Amid these tensions, disinformation thrives. Claims of alliances between TPLF and Eritrea, or covert support for Fano, lack substantiation but circulate widely. The Almeda Textile Factory—once a supplier of military uniforms—was severely damaged during the Tigray War and remains largely non-operational. Assertions of its involvement in arming Fano are not supported by satellite evidence or credible sources.
Understanding Ethiopia’s complex political dynamics is essential to contextualizing such claims. Disinformation not only distorts reality but also undermines peace-building efforts in a region striving to recover from years of conflict.
