[citation needed] Prior to the Ethiopian Revolution, large agricultural businesses were established to grow soybean and other crops for export.

[2] The Derg used Humera as a base for military campaigns against the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) until their Third Revolutionary Army was crushed in the Battle of Shire on 19 February 1989; this forced the government to withdraw its garrison at Humera a few days later, and by the end of the month evacuate Tigray entirely.

[4] In the first few months after the beginning of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, most of the population fled south to the villages of Ba'eker (11,000), May Kedra (5,000), and Bereket (4,000).

The government arrested the alleged perpetrators, who testified in court they had acted on behalf of dissident groups supported by Eritrea.

Responsibility for the massacre was attributed by refugees to Amharan militias, including Fano,[8][9] and to the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF).

The majority of the inhabitants said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 93.18% reporting that as their religion, while 6.45% of the population were Muslim.

A runway three kilometers long and 45 meters wide was constructed, capable of handling present-day aircraft including Antonov 124s.

The opening of the airport was aimed at increasing the agricultural sector in the region as well as providing commercial air service in Humera.