Happening Now: As rebels close in on Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, citizens and diplomats flee

Ethiopian citizens, foreigners and diplomats are said to be fleeing Addis Ababa as rebel forces close in on the country’s capital.

George Anderson, a freelance journalist, had tweeted that airlines departing Addis Ababa were ”reported to be fully-booked as diplomats, government officials and Ethiopian citizens flee Addis with imminent takeover by Tigray/Oromo forces.”

Ethiopia declared a six-month state of emergency on Tuesday, November 2, after Tigray rebels captured strategic cities and said they were moving towards the capital, Addis Ababa.

The announcement came two days after Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, urged citizens to take up arms to defend themselves against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

According to AP, the latest happenings is the latest escalation of a yearlong civil w*r that thr*atens to tear apart Africa’s second-most populous country and has k*lled thousands of citizens.