Mesfin Hagos

Mesfin Hagos (born 1947) is an Eritrean who was one of the founding members of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF). In government, he was the Eritrean Minister of Defense during the 1990s.

After repression by president Isaias Afwerki against Mesfin's colleagues, Mesfin fled Eritrea in 2001 and sought political asylum in Germany in 2013, where he lived.

Childhood and education
Mesfin was born in the small village of Azien, north of Asmara, on 21 November 19, 1947. He went to secondary school in Debre Berhan and attended the Addis Ababa University until 1966.

Rebel fighter
Mesfin was a founding member of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) in 1973. Before founding that organization, he had joined the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) in 1967 as an ordinary member. He eventually became Deputy Commander of ELF Zone 5.

Mesfin Hagos left the ELF in 1970 with Isaias Afwerki, Major General Asmerom Gerezgiher, Solomon Weldemariam, and Tewelde Eyob. Hagos was a part of the founding leadership of the EPLF. Mesfin Hagos briefly served as the Chief of Staff in the EPLF. He was one of the commanders of the Battle of Af'abet that destroyed the backbone of the Ethiopian army.

Government and exile
Popular with the fighters, Mesfin served as the defence minister of Eritrea in the 1990s. He was fired in 2001 for joining the G-15 (Eritrea), but was out of Eritrea for medical treatment and managed to escape detention In 2013, Mesfin sought asylum in Germany after his colleagues opposing the President were hunted down. , Mesfin lived in Germany.