More than 36,000 people have fled Ethiopia into neighbouring Kenya following renewed violence near the border town of Moyale, with fresh gunfire reported on Friday as the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.
The influx of refugees, comprising mostly women and children, has raised concerns about growing pressure on host communities already grappling with shortages of food and water.
An Associated Press journalist recorded gunfire from the Ethiopian side of the border while filming from Moyale, Kenya, on Friday, October 30, amid continuing reports of fighting in the neighbouring country.
The United Nations disclosed on Tuesday that about 36,000 people had crossed into Kenya to escape the violence.
“More and more people are fleeing from their country and coming to our town,” Benedict Munywoki, deputy county commissioner for Moyale Sub-County, told the Associated Press.
The United Nations refugee agency, the International Organization for Migration and the Kenya Red Cross have deployed support to assist the displaced population, providing medical services, food and temporary shelter.
Among those offering assistance is Ethiopian doctor Seifu Negash, who fled the violence into Kenya but has volunteered to treat fellow refugees through the Kenya Red Cross.
“We are facing a lot of challenges in Ethiopia and here in this refuge (camp) but I am treating people with the Kenya Red Cross voluntarily,” Negash said.
The violence is linked to a territorial dispute between the Oromia and Somali regional administrations in Ethiopia, which reportedly escalated following the killing of a 13-year-old girl in an area administered by the Somali regional government.
The dispute has heightened tensions around the border communities, forcing residents to abandon their homes in search of safety across the Kenyan border.
Meanwhile, local leaders in Kenya’s Marsabit County have appealed for additional humanitarian assistance, warning that the increasing number of arrivals could overwhelm available resources.
They expressed concern that the influx would worsen existing shortages of food and water, placing additional pressure on host communities already facing difficult living conditions.
Humanitarian agencies are continuing their response as more people flee the violence, amid concerns over the safety of civilians and the possibility of further displacement if fighting persists.
