Belay Zeleke

Belay Zeleke
በላይ ዘለቀ
Governor of Bichena
In office
1941–1942
Personal details
Born1912
Bichena, Gojjam Province, Ethiopian Empire
Died12 January 1945(1945-01-12) (aged 32–33)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Empire
Cause of deathExecution by hanging
Military service
AllegianceEthiopian Empire Ethiopian Empire
Years of service1935–1941
UnitArbegnoch
Battles/warsSecond Italo-Ethiopian War

Belay Zeleke (Amharic: በላይ ዘለቀ, horse name Abba Koster; 1912 – 12 January 1945) was an Ethiopian military commander who led the Arbegnoch resistance movement in Gojjam against the Fascist Italians during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941. He emerged as a brigand leader after his five-year struggle against Italian rule in Ethiopia.[1][2]

  1. ^ Jembere, Aberra (2003). "Bälay Zälläqä". In Uhlig, Siegbert (ed.). Encyclopaedia Aethiopica. Vol. 1. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 456.
  2. ^ Gambare, Abarra (1997). Abba Koster. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University.