ðɪs ɹᵻkwˈaɪɚd ðə dˈɜːɡ tə sˈɛnd ɐ fˈoːɹs tə ɹᵻkˈʌvɚ ðɪs ɪmpˈoːɹtənt sˈɛɾəlmənt ɔnðə ɹˈoʊd tʊ ɐsmˈɑːɹɹə, bˌʌt ɪt wʌz nˌɑːt ʌntˈɪl lˈeɪt dᵻsˈɛmbɚ ðætðə tˈɛnθ dᵻvˈɪʒən ʌvðə sˈɛkənd ɹˌɛvəlˈuːʃənˌɛɹi ˈɑːɹmi fˈɔːt ɪts wˈeɪ ˌɪntʊ ðə tˈaʊn, ˈoʊnli təbi wɪθdɹˈɔːn ɐ wˈiːk bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə dᵻsˈaɪsɪv bˈæɾəl ʌv ʃˈaɪɚ.
This required the Derg to send a force to recover this important settlement on the road to Asmara, but it was not until late December that the 10th division of the Second Revolutionary Army fought its way into the town, only to be withdrawn a week before the decisive Battle of Shire.