Nairobi, Kenya ? Ethiopia’s ministry of foreign affairs has ordered the Associated Press reporter based in that Horn of Africa country to leave within 24 hours.

Solomon Abebe, the press spokesman for the ministry, summoned AP reporter Anthony Mitchell to the ministry in the capital of Addis Ababa and told him he no longer was welcome in the country and had 24 hours to leave.

Fantahun Asres, an accreditation official with the Ministry of Information, told Mitchell, who is a British citizen, that the government believed his reporting was hostile to the Ethiopian government.

An hour later, Ethiopian state television reported Mitchell’s expulsion.

“We are aware of the order and we are seeking clarification from the Ministry of Information,” said Mike Silverman, AP’s managing editor. “We stand by our reporter and we hope that he will be able to remain in the country.”