Authorities in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara region say they have arrested more than 4,500 individuals including a former army commander.
The arrests are said to be part of "an operation to enforce law and order," announced last week.
The region’s security office head Desalegn Tassew has told state-run media outlets on Monday that those arrested were suspected of spreading lawlessness.
Among them is Brigadier General Teferra Mamo, a former commander of the Amhara Special Forces, allied with the army in the fight against Tigrayan forces. He has been critical of the government after he was removed from his position in February.
At least five journalists were also arrested in the region, with two other television commentators critical of the government detained in the capital Addis Ababa. Critics have said the arrests are attempts to silence dissenting voices.
The government-affiliated Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) says many of the arrests were carried out without proper court warrants and that many of the detainees have not been visited by family members.
The arrests have coincided with efforts by the Amhara region to register private firearms, something opponents say is an attempt to disarm the Fano, a collection of loosely organized youth groups.
The Fano groups have also fought alongside the army against the Tigrayans in the civil war, in which they were implicated in gross rights abuses particularly in western Tigray.
Clashes were reported between government security forces and the youth groups last week in multiple places.