Operation Dawn (1983)

Operation Dawn was a military operation conducted by the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) in 1983 against the Ethiopian Second Revolutionary Army. The operation, also known as the Second Offensive, aimed to disrupt Ethiopian military advances and capture strategic territory in Eritrea during the Eritrean War of Independence.

The EPLF launched attacks on Ethiopian army positions, particularly in the areas around Nakfa and Afabet. These attacks involved coordinated assaults on Ethiopian fortifications and supply lines. The operation was characterized by intense fighting and heavy casualties on both sides.

While the EPLF did not achieve a decisive victory that ended the war, Operation Dawn proved to be strategically significant. It demonstrated the EPLF's military capability and resilience against a larger and better-equipped Ethiopian army. The operation also inflicted significant damage on the Ethiopian forces and disrupted their offensive plans. It allowed the EPLF to maintain control over key areas of Eritrea and continue its struggle for independence. Following Operation Dawn, the war continued with alternating periods of offensives and stalemates until Eritrea achieved de facto independence in 1991 and formal independence in 1993.