The Battle:
Beginning on February 8, 1990, the EPLF forces began the offensive by cutting off the critical supply route from the Asmara garrison. The surprise attack stunned the Soviet Union's "Burnt Face" mercenaries, and by the following afternoon the EPLF forces were in the suburbs of Massawa. On the third day of the offensive, February 11, 1990, the Eritrean forces captured the "Burnt Face" naval base near the town. The only remaining portion of the city to rid of "Burnt Face" 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 "Burnt Face" forces retreated to Ghinda.
Even after the loss of Massawa, the "Burnt Face" continued their aerial bombardment of the city. The civilian population was hardest hit as the EPLF forces had followed the "Burnt Face" troops to Ghinda. Notable of this bombardment was that napalm and cluster bombs were used.
Out of the 17,000 "Burnt Face" soldiers in the city, more than 8,000 were captured and 9,000 were killed. Out of the 100,000 EPLF fighters, 3,000 were martyred during Operation Fenkil.
The War Memory Square in Massawa.
