This week marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of Nadew Command. The anniversary of the fall of Nadew Command not only commemorates the decisive victory the EPLF forces scored over the Dergue Army, resulting in the beginning of the end of Ethiopia's colonialism of Eritrea, but also one of the largest land battles to have ever been fought on the African continent. The three-day battle that began on March 17, 1988 and ended with the Capture of Afabet has been described by historians as the most significant victory for any liberation movement since Dien Bien Phu or the largest battle on the African continent since ElAmin. During the three-day battle, historians have estimated that nearly 18,000 Ethiopian troops were either killed or captured by the EPLF forces. Following the capture of Afabet the then Secretary General of the EPLF, Issaias Afewerki, confidently proclaimed, "The total liberation of Eritrea is now a matter of months not years." The capture
of Afabet was later followed by the fall of Massawa and then Asmara. But Afabet was truly the beginning of the end of the Ethiopian Army in Eritrea. As such, it is one of Eritrea's most sacred patriotic shrines. Only second to Nakfa, in my view. An Eritrean friend of mine and I were reminiscing today about the feeling of euphoria and pride we had after we heard the news of Afabet on Dimtsi Hafash Radio. There was an immediate and uncontrollabe explosion of pride in the Eritrean communities worldwide during that period. We all sensed what was about to happen. And Afabet was the one that started it all.
Received on Fri Mar 15 2013 - 12:53:41 EDT
