By – Habte H.
Operation Barbarossa – the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 – was one of history’s bloodiest follies. It was born from arrogance, driven by hatred, and ended in the bunker suicide of Adolf Hitler after Berlin fell. Today, Ethiopia is haunted by echoes of that same arrogance in Abiy Ahmed’s so-called “Operation disarm – if not Dis-belt – the Amhara in Days.” Different continents, different centuries – yet the logic, the rhetoric, and the mistakes look chillingly familiar.
History is a mirror. If we refuse to look into it, it punishes us twice: first by repeating the crime, then by erasing the warning. Ethiopia stands at that mirror now, let us see how:
I. What Sparked the Fires
Wars do not simply erupt; they are ignited by obsession, prejudice, and illusions of destiny.
a) Personal Conviction of Leaders
Hitler’s anti-Bolshevik crusade, soaked in antisemitism and contempt for Slavs, gave him the conviction to drag millions into a catastrophic war. He believed it was his sacred mission to destroy what he saw as “Jewish-Bolshevism” and to reshape Europe in his own twisted image. Abiy Ahmed, though living in a different century and context, carries a similar destructive conviction. His disdain for the Amhara people, their culture, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is neither hidden nor subtle. In Nekemte, he openly mocked Amharas as “stupid colonisers,” despite their central role in building Ethiopia. Instead, he envisions a “new” Ethiopia – Oromised and protestantised – where Amharas are stripped of their historic and cultural centrality.
b) Historic Mission Fantasies
Hitler promised his Reich a glorious future and vast “living space” in the East. Abiy dreams of becoming the “7th king” of the Horn of Africa, with ambitions stretching beyond Ethiopia’s borders – into Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya, and even Sudan. At home, he casts northern communities – Amhara and Tigray – as obstacles to his grand mission. Fueled by his mother’s prophecy of kingship, Abiy pursues an imperial fantasy at the expense of Ethiopian lives.
c) Betrayal of Allies
Just as Hitler betrayed Stalin after signing the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Abiy betrayed those who helped him rise – Lemma, Gedu, Demeke “…. etc – discarding them once they no longer served his purpose. Betrayal here is more than a political maneuver; it corrodes the very foundation of trust in Ethiopian politics, deepening cynicism and resistance.
d) Overconfidence and Timing
Nazi blitzkrieg victories convinced Hitler that the Soviet Union would collapse in weeks. Abiy, high on the Pretoria deal with the TPLF and backed by UAE drones, boasted he could disarm Amhara militias in days – “dis-belt them,” as his generals sneered. But like Hitler, his overconfidence blinds him to reality.
e) Underestimating Resistance
Hitler believed Stalin’s weakened Red Army would crumble. Abiy dismissed Fano as ragtag villagers with rusty rifles. Yet, like the Red Army, Fano has adapted – growing in strength, arming itself, and transforming survival into strategy. Resistance, once underestimated, becomes the greatest force of all.
II. How the Battle Unfolds
Barbarossa began with lightning speed. German troops flooded eastward, cities burned, millions perished. Yet as months passed, the illusion of quick victory collapsed. The Soviets bled, but they never broke. The harsh winter, endless distances, and patriotic resolve turned the tide.
Ethiopia is writing the same script.
At first, Abiy’s forces overwhelmed Amhara towns, parading arrests and broadcasting “victories.” But victories without legitimacy rot quickly. Today:
- Fano has multiplied. From scattered youths, they are now a formidable force – better armed, more organized, and swelling with recruits.
- The federal army is bleeding. Morale is crumbling; desertions and defections grow.
- The people endure. Civilians suffer displacement and massacres, but instead of submission, rage hardens into determination.
The longer the war drags, the clearer the truth becomes: this is not disarmament; it is a civil war against one of Ethiopia’s core communities.
III. How It Ends
Barbarossa ended in ruins. Berlin was reduced to rubble. Hitler, the architect of genocide, killed himself on April 30, 1945. Germany surrendered unconditionally days later. The lesson is brutal but simple: wars built on hatred and lies do not end in triumph; they end in disgrace and devastation.
Operation “Disarming Amhara” will not be different. The pattern is already visible:
- Overconfidence at the start.
- Fierce resistance in the middle.
- Collapse at the end.
The only unknown is how much blood Ethiopia must spill before Abiy meets the same fate as every tyrant who mistakes force for destiny.
IV. The Choice Before Ethiopia
Ethiopia cannot afford to reenact Barbarossa’s finale. A nation at war with its own people is a nation sawing through the branch it sits on. History does not ask Ethiopia to be the Soviet Union, nor Abiy to be Hitler. But it does warn: leaders who wage wars of hatred against their own people are always defeated – sometimes by bullets, sometimes by legitimacy, often by both. Barbarossa ended up in a bunker. Ethiopia still has the chance to end at a negotiating table. But time is short, and the mirror grows darker by the day – will Abiy repeat the same? We will see …!!!
Editor’s Note : Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com
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In what historical context an international war of imperialism for the world’s economic domination be a similar events with local ethnic uprising. This shows a grandiose personality of the writer about his ethnic armed movements.
As you said the comparison is on the ‘Domination’ instinct of both Hitler and Abiy. Why is it relevant whether it is within a Country or outside of a specific border? I don’t think Abiy and his supporters believe Ethiopia is a legitimate Country. For you and the likes Ethiopians are colonized by Amhara. So the comparison is glaringly perfect.
If I had to choose between Abiy’s narcissism and Habte H’s delusional state, I would go with Abiy’s. Habte H must have across “Barbarossa” and “blitzkrieg” by accident or in a dream. Manny is a mere disciple by comparison.