UK issues strong warning against travel to large parts of Ethiopia;

Says there is greater risk of terror attacks and arbitrary arrest and scrutiny of Ethnic Tigrayans including at the air port

Source: Globe News Net

October 11, 2021

In a travel advice issued today, October 11, 2021 by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of UK, large parts of the country were in a red notice. The FCDO advised against all travels to:

• The whole of Tigray regional state and within 30km of its borders with Amhara and Afar regional states
• The following areas of Amhara regional state: the whole of North Wello Zone; the whole of Wag Hemra Zone; Ambasel, Tehuleddere and Dessie waredas of South Wello Zone; Ebenat, Kemekem, Lay Gayint, Farta, Fogera, Gayint waredas of South Gondar Zone; Addi Arkay, Beyeda, Debark, Debat, Wegera, Belesa, Janamora, Beyeda, Sanja waredas of North Gondar Zone
• The following areas of Afar regional state: the whole of Zone 4, Chifra woreda in Zone 1; and Dalol, Kuneba, AbaAla and Megale in Zone 2
• The four woredas (districts) (Akobo, Wantawo, Jikawo and Lare) of Nuer zone and the Jore woreda of the Agnuak zone in Gambella region
• The West Wollega zone, and Nekemte town in East Wollega, in the Oromia region
• The Pawe, Guba, Dangur,Dibati, Bulen woredas in the Benishangul Gumuz region
• The Nogob (previously Fik), Jarar (previously Degehabur), Shabelle (previously Gode), Korahe and Dollo (previously Warder) zones of the Ethiopian Somali Region
• Within 10 km of the border with South Sudan
• Within 100 km of the Ethiopian border with Somalia and Kenya in the Afder and Liben zones of Ethiopia’s Somali region
• Within 10 km of the border with Sudan and the other parts of the Kenyan border, with the exception of principal roads/towns

The FCDO also put the many other areas in the country a yellow notice where all but essential travels were advised against:

• Areas of Afar region within 10 km of the border with Eritrea, with the exception of tourist sites close to the main roads and open border crossings with Eritrea and the main roads to these border crossings. You should take local advice and not walk away from roads or towns unaccompanied
• The whole of Amhara and Afar regions, aside from those areas where the FCDO advises against all travel
• All other areas of the Ethiopian Somali Region, including Siti zone, Fafan zone (with the exception of the main road and railway line to Djibouti), and the areas of Liben and Afder zones more than 100km from the Somalia and Kenya borders
• The woredas (districts) of Tsegede, Mirab Armacho and Tach Armacho in North Gonder zone
• The Qellem Wollega zones, in the Oromia region
• The rest of Gambella region
• The rest of the Metekel zone of the Benishangul Gumuz region

The travel advice suggested its citizens to avoid large gatherings and monitor local media for updates.

The travel advice also says “those of Tigrayan ethnicity may face arrest or increased scrutiny by the authorities, including at the airport and through police operations.”

The travel advice also reminded tensions are raised in western parts of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) following armed clashes in Konso Zone and surrounding areas, and in the Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State following armed clashes in Metekel zone.

The travel advice also warns that there is increased risk of terrorist attack in the country; “terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Ethiopia. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. You should be vigilant at all times, especially in crowded areas and public places like transport hubs, hotels, restaurants, bars and places of worship and during major gatherings like religious or sporting events.”

The travel advice says that there is a threat of kidnapping in Ethiopia’s Somali region, and on the southern border with Kenya, particularly in the eastern areas to which the FCDO advise against all travel.