The successive offensives and liberation of Eritrea (Part I)
Almost two years after the demolition of Nadow Iz, continuous large scale
military operations were conducted in a bid for the EPLF to preserve the
victories already obtained and transcend into new military offensives while
the Derg regime to avoid further military loses and regain what it had
already lost. Though the EPLF conducted large scale military operation in
April 1988 in the Keren front in a bid to preserve the momentum of Nadew
Operation the outcome was not successful as expected. It again launched
another offensive in May and again did not materialize. The Derg military
after they felt seemingly consolidating their stronghold at the Keren front
after suffering heavy lose; they established a new front at the plains of
Azhara and Maemide to avoid the pressure coming from the EPLF and to take
back Afabet. The huge military attempts were met with strong resistance and
they suffered again a heavy lose. More over, the EPLF forces conducted
tactical attack and rearranging of position at the Mensae front and with
that the initiative of the enemy was was doomed to failure. The military
development during the second half of 1988 was the offensive of the EPLF
navy at the Massawa archipelago and its environs. Though the EPLF Navy was
with limited capacity its role in the military operations and its future
development as an important force was understandable. Within 10 months of
the year 1988 around 45 thousand of the Derg manpower was out of action.
All possibilities that were initiated by the enemy through the Keren front
were blocked. With that the concentration of the EPLF shifted towards the
east plains, and in the beginning of 1989 it conducted successful
mechanized offensive at the northern plains of Semhar; the successful Shire
operation together with the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic
Front (EPRDF); and in 1989 the victorious Assosa operation. These all
successful operations inside Eritrea and Ethiopia not only were important
military and political developments but also were gate ways to the
historical Fenkil Operation. Until the Operation Fenkil 50 small and big
scale military operations were conducted.
>From 08 to 01, 1990, the historic Fenkil Operation was conducted that
liberated Massawa and cut the road from Massawa to Ghindae. The operation
was special in all aspects. It was also an operation which killed the
morale of the enemy and the binging of the end of its stay in Eritrea. The
international community also forced to believe the eminent independence of
Eritrea. In the combats conducted within two years including those 14
combats conducted at the end of 1990, in 64 combats the Derg regime lost
110 thousand of its forces.
The different attempts by the EPLF at Bizen prior to the Fenkil Operation
to rearrange position and to set conducive ground for future programs were
not successful. The enemy was so anxious that it was compelled to from
February 1990 to conduct successive attempts in the Ghinda environs and
Northern Red Sea. On the part of the EPLF it understood that the chance of
penetrating the Ghinda front was minimal but to consolidate position. And
in the end of April 1990 launched the southern offensive and within one
month it liberated Senafe, Adi-Keih and Segeneity. The enemy to retaliate
loses it encountered at the south fronts launched heavy failed offensives
in the Bizen, Ghinda and Girat Awli'e. The offensive of the EPLF in
September 1990 to liberate Dekemkare was not successful. And the two
offensives conducted in March of the same year in the eastern and southern
Asmara aimed at increasing the pressure on the Derg that was very much
worried of its shrinking logistics and aerial support was not yet
successful. The offensive of the enemy in 1990 at the Halhal front was
also foiled.
After the successive offensives and counter offensives conducted for a year
long, in order to enter into the last and concluding offensive the EPLF
conducted heavy offensive in March at the Tio, Idi and as well as at Assab
environs and at same time in 19/05/91 launched another heavy offensive at
the Dekemhare front that ended with the liberation of Asmara in 24/05/1991.
The 130,000 enemy forces that were stationed in Eritrea were defeated. The
TPLF offensives that were being conducted inside Ethiopia have also to be
equally remembered. With that the EPLF accomplished its mission of
liberating the country from the yokes of colonialism.
Source: Shabait
Our 23rd commemoration of Operation will be celebrated colorfully in
Toronto, Ontario. At Pero Lounge, On February 23rd at 8:00pm we have
several programs prepared for you to witness and enjoy, we have several
youth prepare to present their talent for Fenkil operation.. If you have a
poem to present, song or a story to tell about Fenkil Operation we are open
for more
Please contact us by visiting our website:
http://www.ireperi.com/
Received on Wed Feb 20 2013 - 22:20:31 EST
