Israeli Foreign Ministry: Evacuation of a Group of Israelis Stranded in Northern Ethiopia

Tel Aviv - Ofok News - The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today, Wednesday, the evacuation of a group of Israelis who were stranded in the city of Lalibela in northern Ethiopia, using helicopters, following the escalation of security in the region.

The ministry stated that the evacuation operation was carried out in coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli embassy in Addis Ababa, and the Ethiopian authorities, after three days of coordination between Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and officials from the ministry and the embassy on one side, and the Ethiopian authorities and other parties on the other side.

It added that the evacuation operation took place yesterday and today, where the group was transported by helicopters to a safe area, from where they are expected to continue their journey to the capital, Addis Ababa.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Israeli embassy in Ethiopia will continue to accompany the Israelis until they reach their destination, and expressed gratitude to the Ethiopian authorities for their cooperation, which contributed to the implementation of the evacuation operation.

Reports had indicated earlier this week that about 20 Israelis and around 30 foreign nationals were stranded in the city of Lalibela, unable to leave, amid renewed fighting between government forces and armed militias.

The security developments have led to the suspension of flights to the region, while travel by land routes has been deemed dangerous, resulting in the disruption of access routes to the capital, Addis Ababa.

Israeli nationals stranded have reported disruptions in electricity supplies and a shortage of cash, and they expressed concerns about the lack of necessary medical care for elderly travelers in case the closure of exit routes from the region persists.

Reports indicated that the current escalation came in the wake of the collapse of the peace agreement signed in 2022 and the formation of a coalition of armed organizations active against the central government in Ethiopia.

The city of Lalibela is located in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia, which has recently witnessed an escalation in security due to clashes between government forces and armed groups.