First Italo-Ethiopian War
The highest point in this woreda, as well as the Debubawi Zone, is Mount Emba Alaje, one of the southernmost peaks of the Wajirat Mountains. This prominence was the scene of several battles. The Battle of Emba Alaje (1895) was a significant defeat of the Italians during the First Italo-Ethiopian War. A later battle in 1941 was one of the last actions of the East African Campaign, and ended with the capture of the Duke of Aosta, the governor of Italian East Africa, as well as one of the last Italian strongholds.