Battle of Adal

{{Short description|1961 battle of the Eritrean War of Independence}}

{{refimprove|date=December 2018}}

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Battle of Adal

| width =

| partof = Eritrean War of Independence

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| date = 1 September 1961

| place = Adal, Ethiopia

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| result = ELF victory

• Start of the Eritrean War of Independence

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| combatants_header =

| combatant1 = {{flag|Ethiopian Empire}}

| combatant2 = {{flagdeco|Eritrea|1952}} Eritrean Liberation Front

| commander1 = Unknown

| commander2 = {{flagdeco|Eritrea|1952}} Hamid Idris Awate

| strength1 = Unknown

| strength2 = 14

| casualties1 = Unknown

| casualties2 = 1 captured

| notes =

| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Eritrean War of Independence}}

}}

The Battle of Adal took place on 1 September 1961, and was the first battle in the Eritrean War of Independence.{{cite web|url=http://www.nharnet.com/Editorials/TodayinEriHistory/NharnetTeam_Jan13.htm|title=From the Experiences of the Eritrean Liberation Army (ELA)|date=13 January 2005|website=NHarnet.net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926162749/http://www.nharnet.com/Editorials/TodayinEriHistory/NharnetTeam_Jan13.htm|archive-date=2009-09-26|url-status=live|accessdate=6 December 2018}} In the battle, the Eritrean Liberation Front, which numbered at only 14, was able to overcome the local Ethiopian forces. Rebel weaponry included 1 British and 3 old Italian guns, while the majority of Rebels were unarmed. The battle begun at 9:00 AM, and lasted about six hours,{{Cite web|url=https://english.farajat.net/archives/5705|title=GOLDEN JUBILEE (September 01, 1961 - September 01, 2011)|date=2011-09-06|website=Farajat English Page|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-11}} and is commemorated in Eritrea as Revolution Day.

The rebels who participated were:

• Hamid Idris Awate (ELF leader)
• Abdu M. Fayd
• Ibrahim M. Ali
• Humed Qadif
• Awate M. Fayd
• Mohammed Bayraq (taken prisoner, later died in 1975 in an Ethiopian prison)
• Mohammed Adem Hisan
• Saleh Qaruj
• Ahmed Fikak
• Mohammed Hassen Duhe
• Adem Faqurai
• Ali Bakhit
• Idris Mohamoud
• Omar Karay