Thousands escape Ethiopia’s fighting only to face hunger in Kenya
MOYALE — Up to an estimated 50,000 people have fled fighting in southern Ethiopia into Kenya, where food shortages and overstretched shelter are creating another emergency for displaced families. UNHCR said on 28 October that food was the most urgent need, alongside drinking water, sanitation and healthcare.
The estimate, supplied by local authorities, remains provisional as registration continues and more people cross the border. Significant movements began on 22 October, with many women and children among those seeking safety. Families are staying with relatives and host communities or sheltering in schools and churches.
Border communities under pressure
The fighting around Ethiopia’s Moyale town involves a territorial dispute between the Oromia and Somali regional administrations, according to Associated Press. Leaders in Kenya’s Marsabit County have warned that the arrivals could overwhelm communities already struggling with inadequate food and water supplies.
The violence also presents risks across the border. Kenyan police reported three incidents involving stray bullets in Moyale last week, underscoring the need for accommodation farther from the fighting.
Emergency supplies being mobilised
UNHCR has deployed an emergency team and is coordinating with Kenyan authorities, UN agencies and the Kenya Red Cross. It is mobilising household supplies and temporary shelter materials for nearly 12,000 people while seeking to expand assistance. That initial provision is substantially below the estimated number of arrivals, although other organisations are also responding.
Al Jazeera’s reporting from the area describes hunger and limited medical care, with humanitarian funding cuts threatening relief efforts. UNHCR says it is working with authorities to identify safer accommodation away from the border, as continued crossings increase the demand for basic supplies.
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