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Operation FENKiL "Massawa"
 Beginning on 1990-02-08
the EPLF forces began the offensive by cutting of the critical
supply route from the Asmara garrison. The surprise attack stunned
the Ethiopian Derg military and by the following afternoon the EPLF
forces were in the suburbs of Massawa. On the third day of the
offensive, 1990-02-10, the Eritrean forces captured the Ethiopian
naval base near the town. The only remaining portion of the city to
rid of Ethiopian Derg troops were the islands.
To achieve this the Eritrean forces used their nascent naval forces
(mostly small gunboats) to attack from by sea during an artillery
barrage. Using this artillery fire the Eritrean armor moved onto the
causeways that connected the islands with the mainland. The first of
these tanks were destroyed by the Ethiopian Derg garrison, however,
they were eventually overcome by the EPLF. After this defeat the
remainder of the Ethiopian forces retreated to Ghinda.
Even after the loss of Massawa, the Ethiopians continued their
aerial bombardment of the city. The civilian population was hardest
hit as the EPLF forces had followed the Ethiopian Derg troops to
Ghinda. Notable of this bombardment was that napalm and cluster
bombs were used.
Source: wikipedia.org |
