The US embassy in Addis Ababa has issued a strong travel alert urging American citizens to avoid all travel to the Amhara, Tigray and Afar regions, citing the dangerous security situation in northern Ethiopia.

According to information circulated on the evening of Thursday 24 September, the embassy said it had received reports of heavy fighting around the town of Lalibela in the Amhara region.

Ethiopian Airlines subsequently confirmed that it had suspended flights to and from Lalibela airport from 24 September, and the embassy said it had no information on when those flights would resume. It also noted reports of internet and telephone outages in the Tigray region.

Americans in these regions have been advised to leave quickly if they can find a safe route, and otherwise to shelter in place until the security situation improves.

Separately, reports say a new and wider front has opened at Raya-Kobo, and that Sekota, the capital of Wag Hemra, is under high tension. Residents said Sekota has experienced power cuts and a partial loss of mobile telephone service.