Historic picture: Debrom Meresie Kidane (Debrom Tuluq) to the left and Seid Saleh to the right at vicinity of Mendefera 1977

Historic picture: Debrom Meresie Kidane (known as Debrom Tuluq in the ELF) to the left and Seid Saleh to the right at the vicinity of Mendefera 1977

A historical picture of two Eritrean heroes, martyrs Debrom Tuluq to the left and Seid Saleh to the right. According to my source, this picture was taken in the vicinity of Mendefera, days before the battle for its liberation was launched by the ELF in August 1977. Debrom was the head of 40 fedayeen who stormed the castle on the 24th of August, which successfully terminated the operation of the town. All the 40 Fedayeen, including Debrom, were martyred. Debrom was one of the ELF fighters trained in Cuba. They were were killed after paralyzing the well-entrenched enemy force. In that battle, Ethiopia lost 450 killed and 800 soldiers taken prisoners. The ELA took possession of 2 tanks, 20 vehicles, over 430 heavy, medium and light weapons and others military ware. Hamid Mahmoud was the member of the military staff who led the battle. Martyr Seid Saleh was from the second group that was trained in China. He was brutally killed in Kassala in 1983 by the death squad of the EPLF.

According to a close relative of Debrom, he was born in Meqerka and had five brothers and sisters: Nigisti, martyrs Abrahaly and Zakarias, the late Hajer, and Akhberet 

Picture: Courtesy of Ibrahim Gedem