 On 26 September 1976, on the eve of Meskel, the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) turned back an advance by an armed detachment of 250 Ethiopian Democratic Union fighters at Chiameskebet, a village near Shiraro, on 26 September 1976, forcing them to retreat across the Tekezé.Both sides suffered heavy casualties; amongst the TPLF wounded was their general, Mehari Tekle ("Mussie"), who was fatally wounded in the battle and died a few days later.Flooding by the Tekezé in August 2006 damaged 68.5 hectares planted in fruits and vegetables and buried 21 water pumps.