ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday evacuated 161 people from Ethiopia's conflict-affected Tigray region amid heightened tensions.
"On Monday, we transferred altogether 161 persons out of conflict-affected Tigray, acting as a neutral and independent intermediary, based on the request and approval of all authorities concerned," the ICRC said in a statement.
Among the evacuees were Ethiopian Federal Police personnel and family members, Ethiopian Airlines staff and family members, civil aviation security personnel, African Union monitors, and Ethiopian Red Cross Society members, according to the statement.
The evacuees were transported from Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, to Semera in the Afar region by buses marked with the Red Cross emblem and accompanied by ICRC staff.
The latest escalation comes amid heightened tensions in the northern part of Ethiopia, following a recent announcement of a new alliance formed by seven Ethiopian opposition and armed groups, according to local media.
The Ethiopian National Defense Force said on Thursday that 272 Tigray People's Liberation Front fighters were killed following the group's failed offensive on Tuesday night.
The Ethiopian army said in a statement that the forces "strongly repelled" the attack in the northeastern part of the country, eventually neutralizing several militants and seizing various types of weapons and ammunition. ■
