Afabet: Potential for tourism industry

Afabet is the site of the battle widely known as a place in which one of Ethiopian regime’s best equipped army was annihilated. The battle was a turning point in the Eritrean struggle for independence. The city is still surrounded with trenches built during the liberation struggle. The remnants of the battle, the trenches and the military hardware destroyed during the battle are still visible on the ground scattered all over the place. They have buried inside them the hardship, the perseverance, commitment and dedication of the Eritrean people’s liberation fighters. Deep history of the struggle and the immense tolerance it took for the younger generation to learn and for other visitors to contemplate on what the heroic fighters had to go through in the difficult terrain equipped with morale and strong conviction that one day they would see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Afabet was also the once the strong hold of the Ethiopian regime’s Nadew Command. The fortifications and command posts of the regime including the command post of the Soviet advisors is still there intact for any one to visit.

Above all Afabet has so many things to display for local and international tourists, among which the office and command post of the then General Secretary of the EPLF, today’s President of the State of Eritrea, President Isaias

Afwerki, and the command posts of the other rank and files of the liberation fighters.

More over the landscape surrounding Afabet is very attractive to see and enjoy. The place has a potential to play its role in the tourism industry of the country.