Arbegnoch

The Arbegnoch (Amharic: ዐርበኞች, romanized: ārbenyoch, lit. 'Patriots') were Ethiopian resistance fighters who opposed the Italian occupation of Ethiopia during the period of Italian East Africa (1936–1941).

Resistance began during the final stages of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War but took a more organized form after the Italian capture of Addis Ababa in May 1936. The movement evolved in two phases: an initial stage of semi-conventional warfare led largely by remnants of the imperial army and members of the upper nobility, followed by a prolonged period of guerrilla warfare after 1937 led by regional chiefs, local leaders, and fighters drawn from the broader population.

Encouraged by the exiled emperor Haile Selassie, resistance groups spread across much of the country, from Gondar in the north to Omo region in the south. The patriots relied on guerrilla tactics such as ambushing Italian convoys, destroying roads and bridges, attacking isolated garrisons, and disrupting communications. They were supported by local populations who supplied food, intelligence, and recruits, while clandestine agents known as Wust Arbegnoch (Insider Patriots) operated in towns under Italian control.

Despite limited weapons and the absence of centralized leadership, the resistance significantly weakened Italian authority outside major towns. By tying down large numbers of Italian troops in garrisons, the Arbegnoch helped pave the way for the Allied offensive in East Africa during World War II. In 1941, British and Ethiopian forces re-entered Ethiopia, and Haile Selassie returned to Addis Ababa, marking the end of Italian rule and the restoration of Ethiopian independence.