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The Ethiopian Regional Special Forces (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ልዩ ሀይል) is the gendarmerie and paramilitary force of the Ethiopian National Defense Force. It was first established in 2007 by the order of the federal government in order to counter the insurgency in the Somali Region. it has the specialized task to maintain regional and nationwide security and counter any form of insurgencies and terrorist incidents.[2]
| Ethiopian Regional Special Forces | |
|---|---|
| የኢትዮጵያ ልዩ ሀይል | |
| Active | 2007–present |
| Country |  Ethiopia |
| Allegiance | Ethiopian Federal Police |
| Branch |  Ethiopian National Defense Force |
| Type | Paramilitary Gendarmerie |
| Role | Gendarmerie Reserve army Counter-insurgency Internal security Light infantry |
| Size |
|
| Equipment | AK-47 AKM Type 56 RPK PKM RPD DShK Dragunov SVD FN FAL RPG-7 WZ-551 |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Birhanu Jula (Chief of General Staff) |
In 2015, the Ethiopian government announced that the Regional Special Forces were fully integrated.
The Regional Special Forces were first introduced in Ethiopia by the government and foreign assistance in 2007 during the Insurgency in Ogaden. This unit evolved to operate in all regions in Ethiopia. The Regional Special Forces are deployed by the federal government to maintain security primarily against insurgencies. The regional forces are heavily armed and receive military training, and grew rapidly in size following the recruitment of senior Ethiopian military officers into their ranks. As the Regional Special Forces do not have legal provision compared to the federal and regional government police, all regional state governments use the Regional Special Forces, remaining the dominant figurehead behind settling international border security and intrastate conflicts, that are mandated by the federal government forces.[2][3]
On 15 April 2015, the government announced that the unit was fully integrated. The role and status of the Regional Special Forces have been contested. On 6 April 2023, the Ethiopian government decided to dismantle the Regional Special Forces unit in the Amhara Region (Amhara Special Forces) by integrating them into the National Defense Force, the Federal Police and the regional police unit which resulted in large-scale protests that ultimately lead to the start of the ongoing War in Amhara.[4][3][5]
Amhara Regional Special Force
The Amhara Regional Special Force is headed by the commander-in-chief of the Regional Special Force. In April 2023, the Ethiopian government effort to integrate the Regional Force into the ENDF, Federal Police, and regional police units led massive protests in the Amhara region and later triggered the War in Amhara.[6][7]
Oromo Regional Special Force
Similar to other regional force, the Oromo Regional Special Force maintains security situation in the Oromia Region. The Regional Force accused of collaborating with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) atrocities and massacre in west Oromia. In May 2024, an attack in Bulen district of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region blamed for the regional force and OLA as joint attack.[8][9]
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