Legal and procedural flaws in the dissolution of the Amhara Special Forces fueled insurgency and undermined peacebuilding in Ethiopia

This article analyzed the legal flaws and procedural missteps in the dissolution of the Amhara Special Forces (ASF) and their inadvertent consequences, which led to a serious insurgency in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. This article used qualitative data gathered from primary and secondary sources through interviews and document analysis. The findings of this thematic discussion revealed that, contrary to its intended objective of bringing peace to the region and the country at large, the dissolution of the ASF led to an insurgency due to legal and procedural flaws in the process. The dissolution was carried out without consulting the local communities, including political elites and ASF members, and failed to address the critical political grievances that must precede demobilization. The findings underscore the need for a more inclusive, conflict-sensitive approach to SSR that prioritizes local ownership and healing of trauma as essential preconditions for durable peace in ethnofederal systems such as Ethiopia.