Samora Muhammad Yunis (

Amharic Amharic ( or ; (Amharic: ), ', ) is an Ethiopian Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amharas, and also serves as a lingua franca for all oth ...

: ሳሞራ መሐመድ ዩንስ) is an Ethiopian military officer. Born in the

Tigray Region The Tigray Region, officially the Tigray National Regional State, is the northernmost regional state in Ethiopia. The Tigray Region is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob, and Kunama people. Its capital and largest city is Mekelle. Tigray is ...

in the north of the country, Yunis rose to be a four-star general in the

Ethiopian National Defence Forces The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) ( am, የኢፌዲሪ መከላከያ ሠራዊት, Ye’īfēdērī mekelakeya šerawīt, lit=FDRE Defense Force) is the military force of Ethiopia. Civilian control of the military is carried out t ...

and eventually

Chief of the General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces (militaries), the head of the military staff. List * Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (United States) * Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia) * Chief of General Staff (Afg ...

in 2001. He would serve until 2018.

Biography

Yunis fought for the military wing of the

Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF; am, የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝቦች አብዮታዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ግንባር, translit=Ye’Ītiyop’iya Ḥizibochi Ābiyotawī Dīmokirasīyawī Ginibari) was an eth ...

, playing a leading role in the

Battle of Shire The Battle of Shire (Italian: ''Battaglia dello Shirè'') was a battle fought on the northern front of what was known as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. This battle consisted of attacks and counterattacks by Italian forces under Marshal of Ital ...

(18–19 February 1989). He was made Chief of General Staff in 2001, when he replaced

Tsadkan Gebretensae Tsadkan Gebretensae ( ti, ጻድቃን ገብረትንሣኤ; born c.1953) is an Ethiopian former military officer. He is a Lieutenant general and member of the central command of the Tigray Defense Forces. In 1976 Tsadkan joined Tigray People's ...

. According to

Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...

, credible sources identify General Samora as a member of the leadership group which met in

Jijiga Jijiga (, am, ጅጅጋ, ''Jijiga'') is the capital city of Somali Region, Ethiopia. It became the capital of the Somali Region in 1995 after it was moved from Gode. Located in the Fafan Zone with 70 km (37 mi) west of the border ...

following the attack on oilmen at

Abole Abole (also known as Obole) is a town northwest of Degehabur, in the Somali Region (also known as Ogaden) of Ethiopia. On April 24, 2007 an attack on an oil facility in the town by the rebel ONLF The Ogaden National Liberation Front (Abbrevia ...

on 24 April 2007, to determine an appropriate response to this raid. On 7 June 2018, it was announced that Yunis would be replaced by

Seare Mekonen Se'are Mekonnen (; ; 1954 – 22 June 2019) was an Ethiopian army officer. He was the Chief of General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force from 2018 until he was assassinated on 22 June 2019. Biography A veteran of the Tigray Peop ...

as the new Chief of General Staff.

References

Ethiopian generals Living people People from Tigray Region 1949 births Recipients of orders, decorations, and medals of Sudan {{Ethiopia-mil-bio-stub