The Derg overthrew Change_of_leadership the Ethiopian Empire and Emperor Haile Selassie in a coup d'état on 12 September 1974 , establishing Creating Ethiopia as a Marxist-Leninist communist state with itself as a military junta and provisional government .

Various left-wing , ethnic , and anti-communist opposition groups supported Supporting by the United States began armed resistance Defending to the Soviet-backed Derg , in addition to the Eritrean separatists already fighting Hostile_encounter in the Eritrean War of Independence .

The Derg used Using military campaigns and the Qey Shibir ( Ethiopian Red Terror ) to repress Hindering the rebels .

By the mid-1980s , various issues such as the 1983–1985 famine , economic decline and other after-effects of Derg policies ravaged Destroying Ethiopia , increasing Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale popular support Supporting for the rebels .

The Derg enjoyed Getting support from the Soviet Union , Cuba , and other Second World nations in fighting Hostile_encounter against Eritrean separatists supported Supporting by the United States and various other nations .