Ethiopia clashes push 50,000 into Kenya
Fighting between Somali and Oromo communities over Moyale town has displaced tens of thousands seeking safety.
Deadly clashes between Ethiopian Somalis and Oromos over the town of Moyale have driven an estimated 50,000 people into neighbouring Kenya since October 18. The fighting, which has been ongoing daily, has made return home unsafe for the displaced.
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) reports that at least 11,000 displaced individuals, primarily women and children, are now sheltered in temporary sites like schools. Others are being hosted by local communities in Kenya's border county, where two-thirds of residents live below the poverty line, straining local resources. Beshir Dadie Tufa, a father of three, told AFP the fighting continues daily and people are dying.
Conflict monitor ACLED has documented several deaths in the clashes, though an exact toll is difficult to confirm. Moyale itself is a town that straddles the border between Ethiopia and Kenya.