The Eritrean War of Independence was fought as a guerrilla campaign by two main Eritrean liberation fronts, first by the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) and then, after the Eritrean Civil Wars, by the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) against the Ethiopian Empire, and later the Marxist Derg regime. This asymmetrical campaign against Ethiopian control left the Ethiopian military at a disadvantage and so it embarked on a policy of destroying Eritrean villages. It was hoped that this would prevent the separatists from continuing their campaign. Listed below are some of the major civilian massacres committed by both the Ethiopian Empire and the Derg.
List DateDeathsLocationDescription of event1967-07-24172HazemoSeveral villages wiped out and the throats of men slit in front of their wives and children.Late 1967Approx 50AkordatStudents suspected of being members of the ELF were hanged in the centre of town. Parents of the slain were forced, by the Ethiopian Army, to unhang their dead children and take them home.{Wrong, Michelle, " I didn't do it for you", pg 227, image 1.}6 August 1970MissianEthiopian Army entered the village killing all civilians men and burning down the village totally.1970-01-1760ElabaredThe village elders were rounded up for supporting the Eritrean Liberation Front and killed.1970-11-30120BesikdiraThe entire village was rounded up into the local mosque and the mosque's doors were locked, the building was then razed and survivors were shot.1970-12-01800+OnaEthiopian Army units surrounded the village killing civilians and burning down the village.1974-07-10170+Om Hajer1974-12-2845AsmaraStudents were strangled to death using piano strings, their bodies were dumped in alleyways and doorsteps.1971Approx 70KerenStudents and youth suspected of supporting the ELF were publicly executed by hanging. Family members were forced to attend the execution and cut down their children from the noose.1975-02-143000Asmara, Surrounding villagesShortly after an EPLF attack on two Ethiopian divisions, Ethiopian troops fire upon civilians gathered in Churches, homes and schools.1975-02-0280-103WekidubaDuring an engagement with the EPLF and ELF the Ethiopian Army attacked the church where villagers had taken refuge. The massacre is known is Eritrea as Black Saturday.1975-03-09258AgordatAfter several ELF attacks on the town the Ethiopian Army retaliated on the local population.1975-04-17235-470HirgigoAugust 1975~250Om HajerThe villagers were machine gunned in front of a river to prevent escape.1976-12-30105Hirgigo1985-10-1939MogoraibApril 19883AgordatKilled by aerial attacks.50 ELF MartyrAfrica Watch, Ethiopia: "Mengistu has Decided to Burn Us like Wood": Bombing of Civilians and Civilian Targets by the Air Force, 24 July 1990 Eritrea1988-05-04unknownShebah1988-12-05400+She'ebThe dead were mostly women and children as the men had moved to the towns to eke out a living for their impoverished village.3–4 April 199067 killed, 125 woundedAfabetAerial attacks24 April 199050 killed, 110 woundedMassawaAerial attacks, cluster bombs Throughout the conflict Ethiopia used "anti-personnel gas"
See also
Eritrean War of Independence
References