Barcelona, Aug 10 (EFE).- The Kananga travel agency, which has 18 Spanish tourists trapped by armed clashes in northern Ethiopia, has assured this Thursday that it has not been possible to carry out the evacuation today because the military are removing barricades to ensure the safety of the roads.
This morning, the travel agency had reported that the situation had stabilized after the Ethiopian military had regained control of the area and the FANO militias had withdrawn, and that it was preparing to remove the travelers from their refuge and bring them to Spain.
However, this afternoon Kananga reported that Noelia Bertran, the guide accompanying the travelers, had confirmed that “unfortunately it was not possible to carry out the evacuation during the course of today.”
“This is because, throughout the day, the Ethiopian military has been removing various roadblocks on the routes to the north and south, with the aim of guaranteeing the safety of the roads connecting to Bahir Dar and Gondar,” states the statement.
According to the guide for the group of Spanish travelers, “it is probable” that tomorrow the road to Bahir Dar will be “in adequate conditions and, above all, safe, so that they can start their trip to that city.”
Noelia Bertran explains that, once there, they will stay in a hotel “until they can board the internal Ethiopian Airlines flight to Addis Ababa” and that from the Ethiopian capital “they will finally be able to take their intercontinental flight to Spain”.
The Spanish embassy in Ethiopia continues to recommend stranded travelers to remain in Addis Zemen for the time being, because the roads are not safe, according to Foreign Affairs sources.
The 18 Spanish travelers who were traveling by truck through northern Ethiopia were surprised on August 1 by armed clashes between the Ethiopian army and the Fano militias.
In the territory of crossfire, the travelers took refuge in a roadside hostel in a village, from where they claim to hear the clashes that are taking place in the town.
Since the start of hostilities, airports have been closed to air traffic and roads remain blocked, making it difficult for travelers to leave.
The Spanish embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are coordinating, together with other European governments and international organizations, an operation that allows Spanish tourists and tourists from other nationalities to be safely removed from the country. EFE
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