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Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa: The state of emergency has also been in effect here for two days
Photo: TIKSA NEGERI / REUTERS
The US embassy in Addis Ababa has approved the voluntary departure of unnecessary government personnel and their family members due to the armed conflict in Ethiopia, its website said.
The US announced on Wednesday that it was "deeply concerned" at the escalating violence and the expansion of hostilities.
The special envoy called for an end to the military conflict and demanded admission
"Civil unrest can occur without warning"
The US Embassy website said, “US citizens in Ethiopia should consider leaving now with commercial options.
Those wishing to stay should make sure they have adequate supplies in case they need shelter on the spot.
Incidents of civil unrest and ethnic violence can occur without warning.
Further escalation is likely and can lead to supply chain bottlenecks, communication failures and travel disruptions. "
In Ethiopia, the conflict between government forces and the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) is widening.
The troops from the Tigray region are advancing further into the interior of Ethiopia; the government recently declared a state of emergency in the Amhara region.
Most recently, a state of emergency was imposed for the entire country.
In the conflict with the TDF, the military had withdrawn from important cities in the Amhara region, which borders the capital, in recent days.
A year ago the government had launched a military offensive against the TPLF party, which had been in power in the northern region of Tigray until then.
The TPLF dominated Ethiopia with its around 115 million inhabitants for a good 27 years until Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018 and ousted it.
Since the beginning of August, the conflict has spread to the Afar and Amhara regions.
The clashes have led to a serious humanitarian crisis in the north of the country.
According to a United Nations investigation, serious human rights violations have already been committed in the conflict.
The UN team documented killings, torture, sexual violence, violence against refugees and the displacement of civilians.
The perpetrators are also to be found in the ranks of the armed forces of Ethiopia and Eritrea, which interfered in the conflict, as well as in those of supporters of the Tigray independence movement.
muk / Reuters