32nd anniversary of Nadew Command’s demise

The 32nd anniversary of the demise of Nadew Command and the liberation of Afabet town was observed on 18 March in Afabet.

Massawa, 21 March 2020- The 32nd anniversary of the demise of Nadew Command and the liberation of Afabet town was observed on 18 March in Afabet.

Speaking at the event in which a number of residents of Afabet town, members of the Eritrean Defense Forces stationed in the area as well as a number of visitors took part, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed-Nur Rejeb, administrator of Afabet sub zone, said that the demise of Nadew Command was the result of the 10 years of perseverance and resilience of the Eritrean people and combatants as well as the beginning of the end of Ethiopian occupation over Eritrea.

The event was featured with cultural and artistic performances depicting the historic victory and perseverance of the liberation fighters and the public.

At the occasion the residents of Afabet town presented gifts to Brig. Gen. Tekle Libsu, former Governor of the Northern Red Sea region, and to Ms. Asmeret Abraha, Governor of the region.

It is to be recalled that in a lightening offensive the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) conducted from 17-19 March in 1988 at the Nakfa Front, Derg’s powerful Nadew Command comprising of 20 thousand soldiers was totally annihilated with its sophisticated military hardware and Soviet military advisers were captured.

The prominent British historian, Mr. Basil Davidson compared the operation with that of victory of the Vietnamese over the French Army in 1954 in ‘Dien Bien Phu’.