Eritrean women represented 30 percent of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) during the 30-year war for independence. The war was fought against Ethiopian forces to reestablish Eritrean sovereignty from Ethiopian annexation. Eritrea was annexed on 15 November 1962, following pressure from Haile Selassie I on the Eritrean Assembly,[6] the Federation was officially dissolved and Eritrea was annexed by Ethiopia directly after. With this annexation Eritrea's national language was changed to Amharic and they would now be considered a part of the Ethiopian state. The struggle for independence accelerated promptly after annexation and the war would continue for 30 years. By the end of the 30 year long struggle, women comprised about one third of the military force of 95,000. Up to 30,000 women fighters began new lives during the conflict. (Iyob 1997), The women fighters would serve alongside men in every capacity. The war ended in 1991, and independence was officially achieved in 1993.