In September 1974, Haile Selassie I was confronted by the Derg in the Ethiopian revolution, and responded by abdicating from rulership. Ahmed Taqi had previously helped Taddese Birru escape house arrest, bringing him to Addis Ababa by night. At his stay in Addis Ababa, he met the activist Elemo Kiltu (also known as Hasan Ibrahim), who had returned from Syria to launch an armed struggle against the government. Elemo told Ahmad Taqi the idea of coming to Gelemso, and Ahmad Taqi accepted it.