Israel evacuates 45 tourists from conflict-hit Tigray — Jerusalem Post

Israel evacuated 45 tourists who were stranded in the combat zone in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. As the Jerusalem Post reports, the operation was carried out with the participation of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, the Israeli Embassy in Addis Ababa, and Ethiopian authorities.

Evacuation of two groups

The tourists were divided into two groups. About 20 Israeli citizens reached a safe city by land under the escort and protection of Ethiopian military personnel. Another approximately 25 people, including elderly travelers, were evacuated by helicopters to a safe zone.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the rescue operation was delayed due to the deteriorating security situation. After being brought to a safe area, the tourists are to continue their journey to Addis Ababa. The ministry thanked the Ethiopian authorities and other participants in the operation and said it would accompany the evacuees until their safe arrival in the capital.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Resumption of fighting

According to the Jerusalem Post, fighting between the Ethiopian army and Tigray forces has resumed in recent days and spread to the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions. The publication also reports that Tigray forces took control of airports, civilian flights were canceled, and communications networks were shut down. There were also reports of drone use in some areas.

The Jerusalem Post calls the current escalation the most serious since the end of the war in Tigray in 2022. That conflict began in November 2020 between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and ended with a peace agreement signed in Pretoria in November 2022.