Ethiopians Flee Border Violence Into Kenya

Sporadic gunfire echoed from the Ethiopian border town of Moyale on Friday, prompting civilians to flee into neighboring Kenya to escape escalating violence linked to a regional dispute. Cargo trucks remained stranded on both sides of the border as tensions persisted between leaders of Ethiopia's Oromia and Somali regional states.

An Associated Press reporter in Moyale, Kenya, documented gunfire originating from the Ethiopian side, noting that such sounds had become a daily occurrence since Oct. 22.

The United Nations refugee agency reported on Wednesday that an estimated 50,000 people had crossed into Kenya, a significant increase from the 36,000 reported on Tuesday. The agency indicated that registration and verification processes were ongoing.

Benedict Munywoki, deputy county commissioner for Moyale Sub-County in Kenya, stated on Thursday that many of the fleeing Ethiopians were staying within the town rather than in designated camps, making an exact count challenging. "The initial number of people who are in camps and also integrated into the community is still growing day by day," he said.

International organizations, including the UN refugee agency, the International Organization for Migration, and the Kenya Red Cross, are collaborating to provide essential services such as medical care, food, and shelter to those displaced.

At a Kenya Red Cross-established camp, refugees were observed preparing meals over wood fires, while health workers attended to children, monitoring their nutritional status. Seifu Negash, an Ethiopian doctor who sought refuge in Kenya, was volunteering his services with the Kenya Red Cross to assist fellow refugees.

"The war, it started suddenly then we were displaced from that area," Negash said, describing the difficulties faced both in Ethiopia and after crossing the border.

Residents of Moyale, Kenya, have opened their homes to accommodate those fleeing the violence. "When they arrive we welcome them and give them a place to stay and sleep," said Moyale resident Galgallo Jarso on Monday. "We are giving them food and when they fall sick we take them to hospital."

Local leaders in Kenya's Marsabit County have issued appeals for external support, expressing concern that the influx of refugees could strain communities already grappling with food and water scarcity.

The latest outbreak of fighting was traced to an Oct. 18 confrontation over the establishment of a Somali regional administration office and the display of its flag in a contested area of Ethiopian Moyale, according to the conflict monitoring organization ACLED. The conflict's roots lie in a long-standing boundary dispute between the Borana people, who are Oromo, and the Garre people, who are Somali, stated Jalale Getachew Birru, ACLED's senior East Africa analyst.

ACLED reported that a 13-year-old Oromo girl was killed in the initial confrontation, though circumstances remain disputed. Subsequent fighting involved regional police and local militias, spreading to other communities. While fighting appeared to have subsided by Wednesday, tensions remained high.

The violence has also generated security concerns within Kenya. Last week, Kenyan police reported that a woman in Moyale sustained a neck wound from a bullet, with the shot's origin unconfirmed.

This border dispute occurs amidst other ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia. In the northern Tigray region, rebels have pledged to continue their fight after losing control of the regional capital, Mekelle, earlier this month. Additionally, in separate incidents within the Oromia region on Oct. 20 and Oct. 24, at least 60 Orthodox Christians were reportedly killed in attacks blamed by regional authorities on the Oromo Liberation Army, whose leadership has previously denied targeting civilians.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Oromo Liberation Army are among seven groups that formed the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival in September, with the stated aim of removing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government from power. The aforementioned attacks occurred in districts distinct from the violence in Moyale.