MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota businessman detained Dec. 30 at Bole International Airport in Ethiopia has now been released and is on his way home, according to multiple people familiar with the detainment.
Nuurasuu Tufaa told KARE 11 on Monday that his father, Tashitaa Tufaa — owner and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Network — is expected to arrive back in Minnesota Tuesday following the detainment, which his family says was "without cause."
Nuurasuu said his father was in Ethiopia to visit his ailing mother, and to "be with his dear aunt at the time of her passing," and the circumstances around Tufaa's detainment still remain unclear.
Ethiopia is currently under a Level 3 travel alert, which recommends foreign travelers reconsider their plans to visit the country due to internal conflict.
The family released a statement Monday with the update on Tufaa's release, while also thanking everyone who helped throughout the process.
The Tufaa family would like to express our immense gratitude to everyone in the state of Minnesota, the United States, Ethiopia, and around the world for your support during this challenging time for our family. We cannot thank you all enough for your love and concern.
We wanted to share with you that Tashitaa Tufaa has been released by Ethiopian authorities and is returning home to Minnesota. Mr. Tufaa visited Ethiopia to be with his ailing Morth as she was suffering and to be by his beloved aunt's side at the time of her passing.
We want to thank the State Department, Minnesota elected officials, and community leaders in the United States, Ethiopia, and around the world who made this immediate release possible.
Thank you to all who shared in our pain, asked for his release on your social media platforms, called your elected officials, and stood by our family every day since we learned on Mr. Tufaa's unlawful detention. Our family will never forget the kindness and love you have shown us. You all made this possible, and we are blessed to have a community that stands together and fights for one another.
We look forward to Mr. Tufaa landing in Minnesota and will let you know when he is home with us. Until then, we ask for your prayers and continued support.
Happy new year, and may God Bless you all.
Also on Monday, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced the news of Tufaa's release on Twitter, saying State Department officials helped secure his release.
Rep. Dean Phillips' office followed suit, thanking his staff for making Tufaa's return "our highest priority."
Following Tufuaa's detainment last week, Nuurasuu posted a statement on Instagram, calling for Minnesota's Congressional delegation to help achieve his father's immediate release.
Tufaa's family also held a press conference Saturday, in which several members spoke. His younger brother said he had just traveled with him to Ethiopia to attend their aunt’s funeral. He called Tufaa an important member of Minnesota's community.
"Tashitaa, as most of you here in Minnesota knows, he is a businessman and also a community person, supporting our entire community during the last maybe 35-30 years. He does not have any political affiliation and [was] just visiting [his] homeland country. We truly, truly appreciate any immediate support in securing his immediate release."
Tufaa is expected to land in Minneapolis sometime Tuesday afternoon.
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