SUMMARY
Gambella Liberation Front (GLF) (sometimes referring to itself a Gambella Freedom Front, GFF) was an ethnic Nuer armed group operating in the Gambella region in south-western Ethiopia, where it fought in a conflict against the Ethiopian government.
Following the eruption of fighting between the Ethiopian government and TPLF in Tigray in November 2020, the general security situation deteriorated in many parts of Ethiopia. Ethnic relationships became increasingly strained, and as TDF temporarily marched south, towards Addis Ababa, a number of small anti-Abiy Ahmed movements sprang up/gained momentum, joined by their resentment of the sitting regime. It was in this context that GLF emerged as an armed actor. The group had a history as a political party - Gambella People's Justice Peace and Development Democratic Movement – and had taken part in the 2021 general elections. However, the party did not accept the outcome of the vote, and on 22-23 July 2021, it announced on its website that it had reformed as Gambella Liberation Front (GLF) and that it aimed to pursue an armed struggle against the regime. The group went on to denounce the elections as shameful, stating that the road to peaceful struggle was closed.
Organizationally, very little is known about the group, but it was led by its Chairman Gatluak Buom Pal and Vice chairman, Gatluak Pal Tharjiathand, and operated in Gambella state, as well as in the Gambella-Oromiya border areas. The group was small in size, and mainly consisted of fighters recruited from the Nuer ethnic group.
GLF was allied to TPLF and OLA, as well as a number of smaller military outfits. During the fall of 2021, this took the form of the founding of the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist Forces, which included a number of anti-Abiy Ahmed groups. There was some initial controversy surrounding the person who signed the founding declaration of the alliance on behalf of GLF, but it is clear that the group had a close connection to especially TPLF and OLA and supported the coalition. After developments on the battlefield meant that TPLF and OLA had to retreat by late 2021, little more was heard of the alliance. However, cooperation between GLF and OLA continued, with the two group carrying out both joint training and joint operations.
In April 2023, GLF signed an agreement with the regional government, under which it agreed to renounce the armed struggle, instead opting to pursue a"peaceful political struggle". The group's fighters were disarmed and some integrated into the regional police.
