Samora Muhammad Yunis ( Amharic: 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 Regions of Ethiopia, regional state in Ethiopia. The Tigray Region is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob people, Irob, and Kunama people, Kunama people. Its ...

in the north of the country, Yunis rose to be a four-star general in the Ethiopian National Defence Forces 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 ( ...

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 (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 Peopl ...

. 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 ...

, 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 bor ...

following the attack on oilmen at Abole 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 Peopl ...

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