Ethiopian Civil War

A conflict from 1974 to 1991 between Ethiopia’s Derg government and multiple insurgent groups. It ended with the Derg’s overthrow and Eritrea’s de facto independence.

Derg: Ethiopia’s military government, which ruled from 1974 until its overthrow in 1991. The state at war with insurgent movements and the central target of their campaigns.
Ethiopian Revolution: The 1974 uprising that ended Emperor Haile Selassie’s rule and brought military authorities to power. The war emerged from the revolution’s unresolved struggle over Ethiopia’s political order.
Mengistu Haile Mariam: The Ethiopian military ruler who led the Derg and governed from 1977 until 1991. As the Derg’s dominant leader, he directed its military and political response to rebellion.
Fall of the Derg: The 1991 collapse of Ethiopia’s military government after rebel forces captured Addis Ababa. It marks the civil war’s decisive end and the transfer of power to the rebel coalition.
Eritrean People's Liberation Front: An Eritrean insurgent organization that fought Ethiopian rule and became the dominant force in Eritrea. Its military victory helped end Ethiopian rule in Eritrea.
Eritrean War of Independence: A war from 1961 to 1991 in which Eritrean movements fought to end Ethiopian rule. Its long-running front became a central part of the Ethiopian civil conflict.
Meles Zenawi: An Ethiopian rebel leader who became president in 1991 and prime minister in 1995. He led the Tigrayan movement that helped overthrow the Derg.
Eritrean independence: Eritrea’s separation from Ethiopia, confirmed by a 1993 referendum and recognized independence. The Eritrean movement’s wartime victory made independence possible.
Tigray People's Liberation Front: A Tigrayan insurgent movement that became the leading force in Ethiopia’s ruling coalition after 1991. It grew from a regional insurgency into the backbone of the coalition that defeated the Derg.
Ogaden War: A 1977–1978 war between Ethiopia and Somalia over the Ogaden region. The invasion drew on forces and resources the Derg also needed for its internal wars.

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