Veterans, women and children converged on Martyrs Cemetery on the high ground above the city for a sombre official ceremony, marked by speeches and commemorative songs. Many of the women, wearing the traditional white cotton shawl and clutching flowers, wept in silence.

According to official figures, 65,000 Eritreans perished in the past 30 years of armed struggle for the independence of the country from Ethiopia, of which it was formerly a province.

On June 20 last year, the authorities in the capital Asmara officially released the names of the 19,000 Eritreans who died in the recent border conflict between the two Horn of Africa neighbours.

In a brief address to the crowd, Eritrea's President Issaias Afeworki, the former guerrilla leader, expressed "our high respect for our martyrs, who gave their lives so that our existence as a people and sovereign nation can be assured."

On Saturday night, thousands of Eritreans took part in a traditional candlelit march through the streets of Asmara and most official buildings were flying the national flag at half mast.

WAR.WIRE