Nakfa: Symbol of resistance and perseverance of the Eritrean people Part IV

The attempts of the Derge regime to break through the lies of the liberation fighters were found impossible task. The trenches of the liberation forces were found an un-penetrable with all cost; not even with massive interference of super powers on the side of the Derge regime.

The Derge’s mission impossible led to the defeat of its forces and its army into despair. After the devastating defeat of the Derge regime at the hands of the EPLF fighters it gave up its attempts to try to engage itself in a fight and confined into defensive position in and around Afabet and in other areas far from the strongholds of the EPLF around Nakfa.

Some people compare the 6th offensive of the Derge regime to penetrate the Sahl EPLF trenches as the battle between David and Goliath. The fierceness of the battle could be explained with the names of the trenches given to them by the EPLF combatants. Every trench was given a name depicting the ferocity of the struggle in and around them. Rigole, Volleyball, Fernello, Globe, Letter P, Testa, Nakura, Sembel were some of the names of the trenches around Nakfa.

Rigole is an Italian word meaning penalty kick like that of the football game; and the name was given to indicate how close the trenches of the enemy were to that of the EPLF combatants. In some places the trenches were some meters apart that both sides could listen to every word uttered by all sides. With time even both sides could call each others with their names. Could any one imagine staying for months some meters away from the enemy trenches with all the grenades and hand bombs falling on you? Only those who happened physically there could explain the ferocity of the struggle and the endurance that was needed.