Israel has evacuated 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 had directed the evacuees to be moved out of combat areas and that they would leave for Israel. Meanwhile, the US and the UK have joined hands with Japan, Australia and New Zealand – to express concerns over deteriorating security in Ethiopia. 

A joint statement released on Friday said 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.