Western governments are beginning a large-scale overnight evacuation of foreigners from the Eritrea, because of the worsening conflict with Ethiopia.

An Italian military plane is reported to have landed in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, to take out around ninety Italian nationals and other foreigners.

Other reports say the United States is sending two planes to evcuate American citizens and a British Royal Air Force plane is on its way to Eritrea on a similar mission.

Earlier, Ethiopia promised to stop attacking Asmara airport for a thirteen-hour period after it carried out two bombing raids on the military airbase, next to the civil airport.

One plane was shot down.