20 Israelis stranded in Ethiopia as northern war reignites

Israel races to evacuate 20 of its citizens trapped in warzone in northern Ethiopia amid fears the country may be sliding into civil war.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel is working to evacuate about 20 of its citizens stranded in the historic Ethiopian city of Lalibela as renewed fighting between federal forces and an expanding rebel alliance shuts airports, makes overland travel increasingly dangerous and raises fears that Ethiopia could slide back into a devastating civil war.

The Israelis are trapped in Lalibela, in the Amhara region south of Tigray, after fighting spread beyond Tigray into neighboring areas and forced the suspension of flights from the city.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it was engaged in “feverish efforts” with other agencies and local contacts to find a safe route out.

The stranded travelers have reported hearing fighting near the city while conditions inside Lalibela itself remain relatively calm.

“Right now we are fine, but we don’t know how long this situation will last,” one of the Israelis said.

The group reportedly includes elderly travelers, adding urgency to efforts to arrange an evacuation should anyone require medication or medical treatment that becomes difficult to obtain as fighting continues.

Electricity has been cut, forcing the Israelis to charge their phones with generators, while access to cash is becoming increasingly limited. They have accommodation and food for the time being but are concerned that supplies could become scarce if the isolation continues.

The travelers have told Israeli authorities that commercial flights are no longer a viable exit route and that driving toward Addis Ababa could expose them to fighting, armed checkpoints or criminals operating along the roads.

Three other Israelis who managed to leave the area and ultimately return home described the journey as hazardous, citing numerous checkpoints and highway robbers.

“We got out by miracle,” they told people close to them.

The Foreign Ministry said it remains in direct contact with Israelis in affected parts of northern Ethiopia and is continually assessing evacuation possibilities based on changing conditions.

Israeli authorities have warned citizens against traveling to Tigray and urged anyone already in areas affected by the fighting to minimize unnecessary movement, stay away from demonstrations and military installations and avoid attempting long-distance travel without first confirming that the route is safe.

The difficulties facing the Israeli travelers come amid a dramatic escalation in Ethiopia’s long-running internal conflicts.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, which fought the federal government in the catastrophic 2020-2022 Tigray war, has again entered large-scale combat with forces loyal to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Tigrayan forces have moved beyond their home region into parts of Amhara and Afar, in some areas cooperating with armed groups that fought against them during the previous war.

Lalibela, famous for its medieval rock-hewn churches and one of Ethiopia’s most important tourist destinations, lies in Amhara’s North Wollo Zone. Fighting near the city led authorities to halt operations at its airport last week.

The airport has strategic importance beyond civilian aviation because it has also served as a supply point for government forces operating in northern Ethiopia.

The widening conflict follows the creation of a new anti-government coalition bringing together seven armed movements from several of Ethiopia’s ethnically based regions.

The alliance includes the TPLF and the Amhara Fano National Movement — forces that were enemies during the previous Tigray war — along with armed groups associated with Oromia, Afar, Somali, Benishangul-Gumuz and other areas.

Its members have declared that they intend to remove Abiy’s government.

TPLF spokesman Michael Asgedom has said cooperation among the groups includes both political and military dimensions, warning that joint “military operations may become necessary” to achieve their goal.

He has also declared that the 2022 peace agreement that ended the last Tigray war is “no longer valid.”

Federal authorities accuse the armed opposition groups of attempting to destabilize the country and have alleged that neighboring Eritrea is providing support to their opponents. Eritrea has denied similar accusations.

The military situation deteriorated rapidly last week when Tigrayan forces seized control of airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire, according to local reports. Ethiopian Airlines subsequently suspended service to all three cities.

Fighting then expanded into neighboring Amhara and Afar.

The Ethiopian military said it inflicted heavy losses on Tigrayan forces during battles in North Wollo, claiming hundreds of rebel fighters were killed or wounded. Those figures have not been independently verified.

The rebels, meanwhile, have claimed advances along several fronts.