Commemoration of Nadew Command Demise

Massawa, 26 March 2026 – The 38th anniversary of the demise of the Nadew Command and the liberation of Afabet was commemorated with patriotic zeal on 25 March.

The event was highlighted by a military and public parade, as well as cultural and artistic programs and narrations reflecting the heroic feat demonstrated by the freedom fighters and the public during the operation to liberate Afabet and its surrounding areas from the Ethiopian colonizers.

Noting that the outstanding victory achieved for national independence and the safeguarding of national sovereignty is being repeated in national development programs, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed-Nur Rejib, administrator of the Afabet sub-zone, said that the commemorative event reminds us to renew our pledge to strengthen participation in national affairs.

The Eritrean People’s Liberation Front launched a swift and decisive offensive from 17 to 19 March 1988 that resulted in the annihilation of the Nadew Command of the Derg regime, leading to significant losses of 18 thousand soldiers equipped with sophisticated military hardware. The demise of Nadew Command is often linked to the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.