Since the outbreak of hostilities, the Ethiopian government has suspended all banking services across the Tigray region. Internet access has also been completely severed, though the authority responsible for the shutdown remains unclear.
Separately, reports from the town of Alamata describe a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis, with the local population swelling as refugees flee the surrounding violence.
Residents from surrounding areas have been forced to walk for up to an hour to reach the perceived safety of Alamata. However, the town itself is gripped by a severe crisis, with essential services completely cut off—including banking, money transfers, electricity, internet, and phone lines—leaving the displaced population in a state of desperation and profound frustration.
A British tourist currently in Lalibela noted that while online banking remained functional in the area, there was a critical shortage of physical cash.
The tourist reported that the security situation around Lalibela had relatively stabilized over the past two days, with indications that the airport—hitherto utilized exclusively by military operations—could potentially reopen on Thursday. However, local residents remain deeply fearful of potential escalation, particularly as military presence persists in the town and large columns of troops were observed heading north.
When the airport was initially shut down, it stranded fifty-three tourists in the town, the source explained.
Since then, partial evacuations have taken place. Fourteen Israeli nationals were airlifted out on Monday, while an additional five departed the previous day via an NGO convoy, despite official warnings against overland travel.
Among the remaining international visitors stranded in Lalibela, Americans constitute the largest group, alongside individuals from Israel, Britain, South Korea, South Africa, a New Zealand citizen of Ethiopian heritage, and a Mexican national.
In the meantime, the telecommunications blackout has severed families across Tigray. To help bridge this gap, the Tigray Broadcasting Service (TBS), headquartered in Addis Ababa, has launched an initiative aimed at reconnecting separated loved ones.
The broadcaster is collecting video messages from relatives outside the region via its Telegram channel, which will subsequently be broadcasted on satellite television. Though limited to basic greetings and updates, this initiative serves as a vital communication lifeline for families fractured by the total blackout.
Furthermore, the restrictions on banking services in Tigray are severely impacting Tigrayans residing outside the region.
Customers have reported to the BBC that bank accounts registered in Tigray have been frozen or subjected to severe restrictions.
A former resident of Mekelle, who relocated to the capital Addis Ababa two months ago amid rising tensions, described attempting to use mobile transfer to pay for public transport to Adama, only for the transaction to fail. “It has created havoc for many people like me who escaped the situation in Tigray,” he told the BBC’s Tigrinya service, adding that many Tigrayans are now facing severe difficulties.
Additional reporting by Yemane Nagish
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