Other countries told their citizens to leave Ethiopia, where an intensity of a single road between the federal troops and the forces of the North Tigray region seems to take a new dramatic shift.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed late on Monday announced that he would go to the front on Tuesday to lead his soldiers to lead his soldiers.
On Tuesday, France advised its citizens to leave Ethiopia “without delay”. Germany has also called on its citizens to leave the country with the first available commercial flights, following similar warnings from the US and UK in recent weeks, citing a worsening security situation.
Meanwhile, the United Nations said it was “temporarily relocating” the families of international staff from Ethiopia, adding that their staff would remain in the country.
“We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves, keeping in mind the safety of our staff and the need to continue to stand firm, deliver and continue operations and support all people who need our help, ” spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Tuesday.
The steps came as Tigrayan troops claimed for the past few weeks they were approaching the capital, Addis Ababa. Much of northern Ethiopia is closed to journalists’ access, making it difficult to substantiate claims on the battlefield.
But officials in Addis Ababa on Tuesday insisted that security forces, including youth groups, were working to ensure peace and stability in the capital and told the diplomatic community not to worry.
Your rivals exaggerate your territorial gains. “The propaganda and terrorist discourse spread by the Western media is completely at odds with the peaceful state of the city on the ground, so the diplomatic community shouldn’t feel any concern or fear,” said Kenea Yadeta, The head of the Addis Ababa Peace and Security Office.
Samuel Getachew, a freelance journalist from Addis Ababa, told newsmen that the capital was “a city that is quiet at night” amid the ongoing state of emergency.
“There are many people fleeing Addis Ababa, including French and Turkish citizens,” he said, noting that Abiy’s announcement that he would go to the front “came as a shock to many people”.
“Both sides stand ready to fight to the end, using military might to resolve differences,” he added. “Many allegations come and go between the two parties.
