Foreign nationals warned to leave Ethiopia

Germany, France and the US are urging their citizens to leave Ethiopia as the security situation deteriorates. In the latest development, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has vowed to ‘lead from the battlefield’ against Tigray rebels who are advancing on the capital, Addis Ababa. Deutsche Welle reports that Germany’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that German citizens could still use Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport for transit ‘and should board the first available flight’. France and the US also advised their citizens to leave the country immediately, as the conflict in the east African nation appears to be escalating. The UN also said it had ordered the immediate evacuation of family members of international staff in Ethiopia. ‘Given the security situation in the country and out of an abundance of caution, the UN has decided to reduce its footprint in the country by temporarily relocating all eligible dependants,’ said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.