France asks some of its citizens to leave Ethiopia

Passengers bypass the statue of Alula Aba Nega, Ethiopian general of Tigray, after the cancellation of flights to Addis Ababa at the airport in Mekele, capital of the Tigray region in Ethiopia, on June 25, 2021. AFP - YASUYOSHI CHIBA

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Paris is following the movement started by the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel last week.

Significant diplomatic efforts are underway to end the civil war which has lasted for more than a year.

But on the battlefield, the military situation continues to deteriorate.

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With our correspondent in Addis Ababa,

The military developments of the last 24 hours have forced France to revise its recommendations somewhat.

In particular, she advises families to temporarily leave the country, or travelers to avoid transit at Addis Ababa airport.

Because in northern Ethiopia, the coalition of Tigrayan and Oromo rebels continue to advance on the road to the Ethiopian capital.

They are fighting for control of the town of Shewa Robit, 220 kilometers north of Addis Ababa.

As for the eastern front, in the Afar region, the rebels are unable to approach the Djibouti-Addis Ababa axis.

The clashes come as talks continue in both Ethiopia and Kenya.

Several diplomatic sources seem optimistic about a possible ceasefire in the days to come.

There is even talk of the resumption of certain humanitarian flights to Tigray and the Amhara region.

African Union envoy Olusegun Obasanjo is also in Ethiopia.

He was yesterday in Mekele, the regional capital of Tigray, to once again discuss the preconditions for an end to the fighting with the leaders of the TPLF.

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• Ethiopia

• France