London [UK]: The UK government on Wednesday urged all British nationals to leave Ethiopia immediately “while commercial flights continue to operate,” due to the worsening conflict between the government and the rebels, which could move closer to to the capital of Addis Ababa in the coming days. Fighting between rebels of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and government forces have worsened in the coming days. “I am urging all British Nationals – whatever their circumstance – to leave immediately, while commercial flights are readily available and Addis Ababa Bole International Airport remains open,” UK Foreign Minister for Africa Vicky Ford said in a statement. Ford advised those who choose not to leave now to make preparations to shelter in a place of safety over the coming weeks, as the UK cannot guarantee there will be options to leave Ethiopia in the future. She added that the UK government has made available interest-free loans to those who would otherwise be unable to afford commercial flights back to the United Kingdom and has temporarily suspended the requirement for unvaccinated travelers to take a COVID-19 test before arriving home. Earlier in November, the Ethiopian parliament declared a six-month state of emergency throughout the country as TPLF rebels began advancing toward Addis Ababa. The development has prompted several countries to start evacuating their diplomatic missions from Ethiopia.
