Battle of Afabet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Afabet
Part of Eritrean War of Independence
Date March 17, 1988 - March 20, 1988 Location Afabet, Eritrea Result Liberation of Afabet
Belligerents
EPLF	Ethiopia USSR
Strength
unknown	20,000-22,000
Casualties and losses
unknown	15,000-18,000+ 1 killed, 3 captured[1]

The Battle at Afabet was a watershed battle in the Eritrean War of Independence. The Battle occurred from March 17, 1988 through March 20, 1988 in and around the town of Afabet.

[edit] The Battle

The Nadew Command was an Ethiopian Army Corps composed of three combat infantry divisions and accompanying support units. The force numbered between 20,000^[2]-22,000^[3] soldiers. By mid-March 1988 the Nadew Command was preparing to launch an offensive campaign against the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), however, they were pre-empted by the EPLF.

On the morning of March 17, the EPLF deployed troops on three fronts around Hedai Valley to encircle the Ethiopian garrison. Upon their attack, the Ethiopian forces began to withdraw but were cut off. The battle continued while the Ethiopian garrison from Keren tried to reinforce their position. This attempt to reinforce was thwarted by the EPLF.^[4] By the end of the three day battle the Eritreans had killed or captured over 18,000^[3] Ethiopian soldiers.

Once the Ethiopian troops were routed in Hedai Valley, Afabet was stormed and the population liberated. As the town was a major garrison the EPLF also captured a large cache of weapons in addition to those captured in the valley. This victory of the EPLF over the Nadew Command is considered by the historian Basil Davidson to be the most significant victory for any liberation movement since the Vietnamese victory at Dien Bien Phu.^[5] Another important consequence was the capture of three Soviet military advisers (a fourth was killed in combat action).

[edit] References

1. ^ Attempts to distort history. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
2. ^ Deceit is its own damnation (part I) (1999-11-19). Retrieved on 2006-10-31.
3. ^ ^{a b} Killion, Tom (1998). Historical Dictionary of Eritrea. The Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3437-8. 
4. ^ Ethiopia and Eritrea, 1950-1991. Retrieved on 2006-10-31.
5. ^ Cliffe, Lionel; Davidson, Basil (1988). The Long Struggle of Eritrea for Independence and Constructive Peace. Red Sea Press. ISBN 978-0-932415-37-0.