U.K. changes travel advice to Ethiopia amid escalated armed conflict

CAIRO – 6 November 2021: The United Kingdom has changed its travel advice to Ethiopia, calling on its citizens to review their need to stay in the African country amid the escalation armed conflict.

UK embassy in Ethiopia tweeted Friday a video advising British nationals to consider leaving the African state while commercial options remain available.  

This came after the declaration of a state of emergency in Ethiopia.

⚠️ We have changed our travel advice.

Watch this space for the latest updates and read our travel advice.

📌 Our emergency number is 011 617 0100https://t.co/3tDw3MbC2y pic.twitter.com/OTgZa412cI

— UK in Ethiopia 🇬🇧 (@UKinEthiopia) November 5, 2021

“It may become more difficult to secure flights later. We have been advising against all travel to all parts of Amhara, Tigray and Afar and to certain other areas. We are now advising against all but essential travel to the rest of Ethiopia including Addis Ababa,” the video said.

Similarly, the U.S. Embassy warned U.S. nationals in Ethiopia.

The US Embassy in Addis Ababa called on American citizens to not travel to Ethiopia and consider departing now over insecurity due to the ongoing armed conflict.

“Do not travel to Ethiopia due to armed conflict, civil unrest, communications disruptions, crime, and the potential for terrorism and kidnapping in border areas,” the Embassy said.

The Embassy said travel to Ethiopia has become unsafe at the moment due to the ongoing armed conflict.

“Incidents of civil unrest and ethnic violence may occur without warning,” the Embassy added.

Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the UN Human Rights Office released a report on Wednesday, revealing violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law, and possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Facebook has deleted a tweet by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, where he urged citizens to “bury” the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in Tigray.

The tweet was deleting for violating the Facebook terms related to violence incitement.

Ahmed called on people in the tweet to “temporarily hold occasional affairs and organize and march through legal manner with every weapon and power/might in order to prevent, reverse and bury the terrorist TPLF that has come to the destruction.”

“This great nation has not overcome great historical challenges by standing and watching on the sides or being content with just a few victories. We have defeated the attacks by standing together and standing guard with perseverance for our country,” he added.

Ethiopian authorities have recently declared a state of emergency nationwide, calling for people to take up arms to defend the Ethiopian capital.

As per the Tigray conflict, hundreds of thousands have been displaced and the region was brought to the brink of famine.