Name of leader Isaias Afwerki
Organization EPLF
Conflict country Eritrea
Gender Male
Year of birth February 2, 1946[1]
Place of birth Asmara, Eritrea (Formerly Ethiopia)[2]
Year of death N/A
Deceased
No, there is no evidence he has died.
Birth order
His birth order is unknown.
Age at start of rebel leadership
He was elected secretary-general of EPLF in 1987, when he was roughly 41.
Leader entry method
He was a founding member of EPLF in 1977. He was then elected in 1987 to be secretary-general of EPLF.[3]
Powersharing
No, there is no evidence of powersharing.
Education (also name universities attended, if any); note any relevant experiences while a student
Afwerki studied engineering in Ethiopia at the University of Addis Ababa, but he left the university in 1966 to join the ELF. He did not graduate.[4]
Ever married? If yes, age of first marriage
Yes, he is married.[5]
Children
Yes, he has children.[6]
Religious identification
He is Christian.[7]
Elite family background
He came from the working-class suburbs of Asmara.[8]
Political affiliations and intellectual circles; note any relevant social connections made
No, there is no evidence he had outside political affiliations.
Physical and mental health
No, there is no evidence of poor physical or mental health.
Pre-militant leader occupation
He was a student and then a soldier for the resistance.
Experience in a state military, and role; any relevant social ties
No, there is no evidence of state military experience.
Experience in a nonstate military, and role; any relevant social ties
Yes, he was part of the ELF before forming the EPLF.[9]
Combat experience prior to assuming resistance organization leadership?
Yes, was a soldier for the ELF.[10]
Held government position prior to assuming leadership?
No, there is no evidence he held a government position.
Lived in exile?
Yes, he lived in exile in Sudan when he joined the ELF in 1966.[11]
Study abroad?
No, there is no evidence he studied abroad.
Did the leader receive military training abroad?
Yes, originally trained as an engineer, Afwerki joined the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) in 1966. He received military training in China that same year.[12]
Did the leader have extensive work experience abroad?
No, there is no evidence he had extensive work experience abroad.
Serve time in prison? Social connections during that time?
No, there is no evidence he served time in prison.
Was there an assassination attempt on the leader by the state?
No, there is no evidence of an assassination attempt by the state.
Cause of Death?
N/A
Primary language, and other languages spoken as adult
He speaks Tigrinya as his primary language, in addition to English and Arabic.
Image Credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Isaias_Afwerki_in_2002.jpg/1024px-Isaias_Afwerki_in_2002.jpg
[1] The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica “Isaias Afwerki | president of Eritrea,” Encyclopædia Britannica, accessed February 8, 2017, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaias-Afwerki.
[2] Ibid
[3] "Afwerki, Issaias." In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide, Helicon, 2016.
[4] The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica “Isaias Afwerki | president of Eritrea,” Encyclopædia Britannica, accessed February 8, 2017, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaias-Afwerki.
[5] “Isaias Afwerki,” Marquis Who’s Who, accessed February 8, 2017, https://marquiswhoswho.com
[6] Ibid
[7] Martin Plaut, “Who Is Isaias Afwerki, Eritrea’s Enigmatic President?” Newsweek (Newsweek Europe), November 1, 2016, http://www.newsweek.com/who-isaias-afwerki-eritreas-enigmatic-dictator-515761.
[8] Ibid
[9] “Isaias Afwerki,” Marquis Who’s Who
[10] “Isaias Afwerki,” Marquis Who’s Who
[11] “President Isaias Afwerki’s Biography,” Madote, November 14, 2010, accessed February 12, 2017, http://www.madote.com/2010/11/president-isaias-afwerkis-biography.html.
[12] "Afwerki, Issaias." In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide, Helicon.