Fenkil Day in Eritrea

10 Feb 1990 liberation of massawa. The offensive called Fenkil operation started on February 8, 1990. In the period between the demise of Nadew command (March 1988) and Fenkil operation EPLF conducted 50 military operations that cleared the way for the liberation of Massawa (PFDJ, 2015, p214). In Fenkil operation EPLF naval forces, using small boats surprised and confronted Ethiopian warships. Finally after three days intense battle the EPLF captured the port of Massawa and sealed off Ethiopia’s land forces from all but air-borne supplies. In retaliation, the Ethiopian army bombed the civilian population of massawa using clusters and napalm bombs that remembered by Eritreans as qbtset meaning desperation. Fenqil operation profoundly shocked the foundation of Derg and hastened the final defeat of Ethiopian army in Eritrea. On the other hand the operation enhanced the position of Eritrean revolution in regional and international politics.

10 Feb 1994 third Congress of EPLF was held in Nakfa. After achieving its mandate to liberate Eritrea from Ethiopian colonial oppression, EPLF convened its third congress and transformed in to a new post-war political movement, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice PFDJ to build on the EPLF’s legacy and to lead the country. The PFDJ’s basic goals, as summarized in the National Charter adopted there, were: national harmony, political democracy, economic and social development, social justice (economic and social democracy), cultural revival and regional and international cooperation.