Around 36,000 people have left southern Ethiopia and crossed the border into Kenya due to the fighting recorded in recent days between security forces from the Ethiopian regions of Oromia and Somalia near Moyale, a border town between both countries, as reported by the United Nations on Tuesday.
"Approximately 36,000 people have crossed from Ethiopia to Kenya fleeing the violence in the surroundings of Moyale. Many of them are women and children," warned the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in a brief message on social media, where it noted that its teams are already "on the ground, collaborating" with other UN agencies and partners to "support the emergency response."
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) expressed its concern on Monday over "reports" that raise the number of people who "have sought refuge" in Moyale to "approximately 40,000 people (who) have sought refuge" after escaping from the "disturbances" in Ethiopian territory.
According to this body, more than 15,000 people are housed in eight "temporary" spaces, including a church, a mosque, a hospital, and an educational center, while more than 20,000 have settled in the homes of relatives and acquaintances on the other side of the border.
The institution has emphasized the "considerable pressure" that this flow poses for the host communities, particularly on the available resources, given the increased demand for food, drinking water, shelter, sanitation, and basic health services.
It has also warned that the expected rains in Moyale and neighboring areas "increase the concern about exposure to the elements, sanitation, and possible outbreaks of communicable diseases."
The Ethiopian newspaper 'Addis Standard' points out that this mass displacement occurs after a week of clashes triggered by the display of the flag of the Ethiopian region of Somalia in Moyale, also administered by the Oromia region, which intensified after the shooting death of a 13-year-old boy on October 18.