Britons were advised to evacuate Ethiopia with Ethiopia’s civil War nearing Addis Ababa.
Africa minister Vicky Ford said in a statement: ‘The conflict in Ethiopia is deteriorating quickly. We may soon see fighting closer to Addis ababa. This could limit the options available for British Nationals who want to flee Ethiopia.
‘I am urging all British Nationals – whatever their circumstance – to leave immediately, while commercial flights are readily available and Addis Ababa Bole International Airport remains open.
British Nationals can apply for interest-free loans to allow them to travel to the UK.
“Those who decide not to flee Ethiopia now need to make arrangements to seek refuge in the next few weeks. There are no guarantees that Ethiopians will leave Ethiopia.
It comes as Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning prime minister went to the battlefront today after the leader said martyrdom might be necessary in the yearlong war with rival fighters approaching the capital.
Today, a police officer speaks to volunteers who have registered today to be night-patrolers for the Ethiopian National Defence Force at Addis Ababa.
As Tigrayan rebels move towards the capital, a tank that has been damaged stands near Humera.
Abiy Ahmed (45-year-old ex-soldier) was not photographed by state media. Billene Seyoum, his spokeswoman, dismissed an inquiry for information about his whereabouts as ‘incredible’. A government spokesman said that he reached the front Tuesday.
Tens of thousands have been killed in wars between Ethiopian federal troops, allied troops, and Tigray fighters.
Believing that the nation will fall apart is alarming, both Ethiopians as well as observers. This raises concerns about what could happen to the Horn of Africa’s often volatile region. France, Germany, Turkey and other countries have instructed their citizens not to return home.
Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize for political reforms in 2002 and his efforts to make peace with Eritrea a reality. It was a shock to many that Abiy went from winning the Nobel Prize to possibly heading into war.
However, moving to the front would be in keeping with the traditions of Ethiopian leaders like Emperor Haile Selassie or Emperor Yohannes IV who were killed in battle 1889. Christopher Clapham is a former professor at the University of Cambridge.
As they protest against fake news purportedly, military recruits joining Ethiopia’s National Defence Force have papers bearing messages reading ‘No More.’
Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning prime minister Abiy Ahmed went to the battlefront today
Clapham stated that Clapham thought it was a traditional Ethiopian exercise of leadership. Clapham said, “It may be necessary to save what seems like a very faltering Ethiopian army response.”
Tigray militias, which had dominated the nation’s government since before Abiy took power, now seem to be in control. The Tigray forces have made a move to the capital Addis Ababa over the past few weeks in an attempt to strengthen their bargaining position, or force the prime minister out.
Although it is not common, leaders have moved to the front in Africa. However, sometimes with fatal results. According to military records, Idriss deby Itno was the president of Chad while fighting rebels in April.
Adem Abebe (researcher at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) stated that “the situation is very dangerous.” “If Abiy is hurt or killed it will not only be the federal government, but also the army.
Prime minister, Legesse Tulu announced this week that the country’s leader would be leaving for battlefront. Legesse Tulu spoke Wednesday to say that the deputy prime Minister is in charge of running the day-to-day government operations.
Local authorities organize a military parade, with rifles bearing national flags. This is done to support the Ethiopian National Defence Force.
Abiy also invited Ethiopians into his ranks – the latest request for any citizen of the more than 110million people in Ethiopia to take part. In recent months there have been reports about hurried military trainings as well as allegations of forced conscription. However, analysts warn that the militaries seem to be weakening and ethnic-based militias will increase their presence.
Awol Allo is a Keele University law professor who suggested that Abiy might be considering suicide.
Allo indicated that Allo’s move is in keeping with his view of him and his belief that he was the right man to lead. He also said that Abiy could have left the capital to be in a more secure location, but not at the front, and was still directing war from there.
On Tuesday, Jeffrey Feltman, U.S. envoy to the Middle East told reporters that he is concerned that the ‘alarming military developments’ could impede progress on mediation efforts between warring parties.
Bole’s unarmed vigilantes protect a neighborhood in Bole after Abiy Ahmad, Ethiopian Prime Minister, called for residents to take care of their neighborhoods
In November 2020, a political dispute between Tigray leaders & Abiy’s government led to an open conflict. Abiy permitted soldiers from Eritrea into Tigray to attack the ethnic Tigrayans. It was one of the worst war crimes. For months, he denied that the Eritreans were present.
The Tigray militias have stated they would like Abiy to leave, as well as other demands. Abiy’s government demands that the Tigray Forces, which it considers a terrorist organization, be withdrawn from their region to meet their conditions.
Kassahun Berhanu from Addis Ababa University said, “Unless there is some form of divine intervention, I don’t see any opportunity for a peaceful solution through dialogue because these positions are highly polemized.” He also stated that Abiy’s declaration about heading to the front is meant to boost popular morale.
Millions of civilians have been left behind and are suffering hunger from the violence. Ethiopia’s government is blocking Tigray for months because it fears that fighters will seize humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands in neighboring Amhara or Afar regions cannot receive significant assistance as Tigray forces move through these areas.
The supply line connecting neighboring Djibouti with Ethiopia’s capital is one target for the Tigray force. A U.S. diplomat warned them not to cut off this road and to enter Addis Ababa.
Feltman stated to reporters that it could spell doom for the nation.
Olesegun Obasanjo (African Union representative) has been also mediating. However, he has not publicly discussed his efforts in the last few days.