Just as Rossi left Eritrea, he received news of two observations of a similar East-West effect.

It was then that Jews began to leave Eritrea.

Alem was told to leave Ethiopia and Eritrea and had to go to Britain and become an asylum seeker.

Afterwards, Menelik returned to Addis Ababa leaving Eritrea as a protectorate of Italy.

The Foreign Office said the five had now left Eritrea, and some were believed to be travelling back to the UK.

In London, the Foreign Office yesterday issued a warning advising all British citizens to leave Eritrea.

Recent years have seen a high number of refugees leaving Eritrea and some athletes travelling to competitions abroad have taken the opportunity to abscond.

In that context, Ms. Kidane said, she would have no reason to leave Eritrea, where she is known and loved by so many.

Anyone who leaves Eritrea automatically becomes a political refugee, because it is impossible to go back and, if you did, you would be putting your family in danger.

On April 6, the Government of Ethiopia ordered foreign relief workers to leave Eritrea and Tigre "for their own safety."