Abdissa Aga is an Ethiopian patriot who, during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia in the 1930s, fought against foreign forces. More importantly, he is well remembered for leading a multi-nation resistance movement in Italy. Abdissa Aga not only worked to protect Ethiopia from the Italian forces but also was a leader in the effort to weaken fascist Italy during the Second World War. Abdissa was hailed as a hero for his courage and leadership during the war. Even more, Abdissa is a great hero who waved his country’s flag proudly while entering and capturing the city of Rome. Even after his death, the unsung hero Abdissa is still remembered for his acts of bravery, heroism, and patriotism.
Early Life
Abdissa Aga was born in Welega, Oromia, in south western Ethiopia. There is little known about his childhood except that his father was executed at an early age for killing his own brother. Abdissa would later go on to join the Ethiopian military, where he would become a great leader and a symbol of hope. He was only 14 when he joined the military and fought against Fascist Italy.
Imprisonment
After joining the military, Abdissa fought with the Italians who were invading Ethiopia in 1936. Unfortunately, Abdissa ended up in the hands of the Italians, who were armed with weapons far superior to his own. Consequently, he was taken as a prisoner of war and transported to Italy through Asmara. There, he was imprisoned in a concentration camp on the island of Sicily in Italy.
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Prison Escape
While Abdissa was in prison, he met Captain Julio, a Yugoslavian hero. The two guys quickly became friends, despite their different nationalities. Soon after, they planned an escape from the camp, which was executed to perfection. They were able to successfully elude their captors with some of the other prisoners they freed and eventually find their way to safety.
But they didn’t stop there. After escaping the camp, the two friends worked together to free others who were still in captivity. Accordingly, they decided to go back to the camp and try to free as many people as they could. A few days later, Abdissa Aga and his friends went back to the jail to aid in the escape of other inmates. After the guards were choked to death by Abdissa, they found a way to penetrate the camp. With a successful operation, they were able to free all the prisoners who were held captive. Moreover, they were able to take the weapons, ammunition, and supplies from the guards.
Involvement in World War II
After their prison escape, Abdissa and his comrades began a campaign to challenge and overthrow the Italian fascist force that had oppressed them. They attacked their enemy on multiple fronts, organizing mass strikes, boycotts, and rebellions throughout the region. When World War II broke out, Abdissa sided with the Allies and continued to fight the fascists. He was even selected to command the multinational partisan army, which included Americans, English, French, and other nationalities. Abdissa, with the support of his international coalition, fought bravely and played a critical role in dispersing fascist troops in their own country. Furthermore, Abdissa was the first hero to capture Rome, proudly waving the flag of Ethiopia.
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