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The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says the fighting in Ethiopia is causing a large-scale crisis with thousands of people fleeing to neighboring Sudan.
Vatican News Staff Editor
A “large-scale humanitarian crisis”: this is how the United Nations refugee agency describes the unfolding situation in Ethiopia.
Refugee influx
UNHCR reported Tuesday that more than 27,000 people have fled to Sudan.
UN agencies said that some 4,000 people a day, including men, women and children, were fleeing the conflict.
Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said in a briefing on Tuesday: “There may be massive displacement within Tigray and that is of course a concern and we try to prepare ourselves in the best possible way. “
Conflict in Ethiopia
The unfolding crisis comes as Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed warned on Tuesday that the deadline for northern rebel forces to lay down their arms had passed, paving the way for a final push on the region’s capital of Tigray in the two-week conflict.
The prime minister announced a military offensive on November 4 against the regional government in Tigray in response to an attack by Tigray forces. Each government considers the other to be illegal after a months-long dispute.
Mobilize resources
Most of the refugees arriving in Sudan have walked long distances or, in some cases, have swum to safety.
Officials had already predicted an influx of at least 200,000 refugees to Sudan.
UNHCR said it was working with the Sudanese authorities to “mobilize resources to provide vital assistance services to new arrivals.”
Support Needed
In a tweet on Monday, Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, called for help to help the Sudanese government respond to the situation on its borders.
There is concern that this new influx of refugees will add to Sudan’s economic and security problems. Ethiopians fleeing the chaos back home were transferred to the Um Rakouba refugee camp in eastern Sudan.
The camp chief, Abdel-Baset Wadaa, called for support and said that although they had water, food was scarce.
