Germans urged to leave Ethiopia as conflict escalates

BERLIN

The German government Wednesday called on its citizens to leave Ethiopia in the wake of the escalating violent conflict in the East African country.

Germans should use the currently available commercial flights to leave the country, the Foreign Ministry said in a travel alert on its website.

The warning, which was previously applied to only individual crisis regions, has been extended to the entire country.

The conflict between the government in Addis Ababa and rebels from the northern region of Tigray has gripped more and more parts of the country in recent days, with the parties to the battle engaging in intense combat.

"It cannot be ruled out that the fighting will intensify and reach other regions of the country, including the capital Addis Ababa," said the Foreign Ministry.

On Nov. 2, Ethiopia declared a nationwide state of emergency.

The decision followed an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers amid escalating clashes between the government forces and the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and Oromo Liberation Army-Shene (OLA-Shene).

Over the last few weeks, the TPLF fighters made gains, capturing new territories and strategic towns deep in the Amhara and Afar regions.

On June 29, the Ethiopian government declared a unilateral cease-fire and pulled out its troops from Tigray, after which the rebel forces expanded into neighboring Amhara and Afar.

Millions have been internally displaced as a result of the conflict, according to the UN, which has also warned of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.