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The UN Refugee Agency has estimated that 4,000 people arrive daily in Sudan from Ethiopia. UNHCR warned that a large-scale humanitarian crisis is unfolding due to the conflict in the Tigray region.
As CGTN’s Wanja Mungai reports, a mass exodus is taking place. Ethiopians from the belligerent region of Tigray seek refuge in neighboring Sudan. They are fleeing the ongoing war between the armed forces and the local government.
The two-week conflict has put their lives in danger. Granite is one of the refugees. Together with his family, they managed to cross a river near the border to access Hamdayat camp in Sudan.
“I don’t know, but there were heavy fighting and many people died. After that they told us to leave, so we fled, they all did. “
At home, people are running out of basic services like food, fuel and medical supplies. Now, the United Nations is warning of an impending major humanitarian crisis.
Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson, says: “People are leaving Ethiopia really scared, scared, with stories saying they have been fleeing the heavy fighting and there is no sign that the fighting is stopping.”
UNHCR describes the crisis as the worst in the region in two decades. So far, an estimated 27,000 people are already in Sudan.
The UN reports that 4,000 people arrive daily and fear that the numbers could increase. Sudan has been a safe haven for refugees fleeing conflict from Chad, Eritrea, the Central African Republic and South Sudan.
The support system on the ground is also being overwhelmed.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, says that “our humanitarian colleagues tell us that they and their partners continue to call for the protection of civilians in Tigray, respect for international humanitarian law and ways to assess needs and ensure that aid continues to reach conflict-affected areas. Roads to the Tigray region remain blocked and our partners warn that supplies will soon run out, putting millions at risk of food insecurity and disease. “
With the world grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, authorities fear this could make the already bad situation worse.
(Report by Wanja Mungai of CGTN)
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