Residents of Alamata, Ethiopia, began fleeing the town starting around 1:45 PM UTC on February 1, 2026, fearing an outbreak of war after the withdrawal of Ethiopia's army and federal police, according to reports from locals cited by Deutsche Welle. They are moving to neighboring towns to avoid becoming targets for militants, as stated in a DW Amharic article shared on X during the 3-hour reporting window ending at 4:45 PM UTC. The flight from Alamata stems directly from the security forces' pullout, which residents view as leaving the area vulnerable to militant attacks, per the DW report tweeted by user PatrickHeinisc1. No official confirmation of the withdrawal timing or government response appears in sources from this period. Alamata is located in Ethiopia's northern Amhara region, where ongoing conflicts have involved federal forces and local militias. The DW article, published recently, quotes fleeing residents expressing fears of becoming caught in potential clashes.
