Israel Evacuates Jews From Ethiopia Conflict Regions

Israel has announced it’s evacuated in a special flight over 200 of its citizens and Ethiopian Jews from two cities in the Amhara and Oromia regions affected by recent violence and moved them to the country’s capital Addis Ababa.

Amhara region is home to thousands of members of the Jewish community.

In a statement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’d directed the evacuees to be moved out of combat areas and that they would leave for Israel.

Relative calm continues to be reported in the biggest cities in the Amhara region amid recent intense clashes between the army and local militias.

The army said it regained control in key regions but residents in some smaller towns and rural districts say local militias are still in charge.

Meanwhile the US and the UK have joined hands with three other countries – Japan, Australia and New Zealand – to express concerns over deteriorating security in Ethiopia.

A joint statement released on Friday says recent violence in the country’s Amhara and Oromia regions “have resulted in civilian deaths and instability”.

The UN’s Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia earlier said it was “deeply concerned” by the recent insecurity and called on the government to adhere to “the principles of necessity, proportionality, and non-discrimination” in implementing a state of emergency declared in connection with the violence.

BBC/Jide Johnson.