About 36,000 people have now crossed from Ethiopia into Kenya fleeing violence in and around the border town of Moyale, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday — a sharp rise from the hundreds reported when the fighting first drove people across the border last week.

Source: UNHCR via AFP / The News

"Many of those arriving are women and children. While some have found refuge with relatives and local communities, others are sheltering in temporary locations. Food is the most urgent need, alongside safe drinking water, shelter, sanitation and healthcare," UNHCR said, adding that it is on the ground with other UN agencies and partners supporting the emergency response.

36,000people have crossed into Kenya fleeing the Moyale violence, UNHCR said on Tuesday
40,000people the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights says have sought refuge in Moyale
15,000+people in eight temporary shelters, KNCHR said; 20,000+ are staying with relatives and friends

Rights commission calls for urgent aid

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), in a statement issued on October 27, put the number who have sought refuge at approximately 40,000 and called for an urgent humanitarian response, warning that delays could expose thousands to avoidable suffering. It named St Mary's Catholic Church, Harhosha Secondary School, Manyatta Burji, Sessi and Lanzi Mosque Hospital among the reception sites.

Source: Capital FM / KNCHR

The commission said rainfall in the Moyale area had heightened concerns over exposure, poor sanitation and possible outbreaks of communicable diseases, and highlighted maternal care needs after four women gave birth at shelters in Manyatta and Bitiye. The Kenya Red Cross said displaced people were sheltering in six camps and in villages within host communities, with volunteers helping prepare and serve hot meals alongside health services and household items, the Associated Press reported.

Source: Associated Press

What started the fighting

The fighting stems from a territorial dispute between Ethiopia's Oromia and Somali regional administrations, according to the AP. It erupted after a Somali regional flag was hoisted in Moyale, a town jointly administered by the two regions, and was aggravated by the killing of a teenage girl in an area administered by the Somali regional administration, the AP reported. A hospital official and a situation report cited by Reuters said at least nine people were killed in the Moyale clashes and about 30 injured people were brought to hospital, most hurt by heavy weapons.

Local leaders in Kenya's Marsabit County appealed for support, warning the influx could overwhelm host communities already struggling with food and water shortages, and police reported three incidents involving stray bullets on the Kenyan side of Moyale last week, the AP said. KNCHR urged the Kenyan and Ethiopian governments to coordinate on cross-border movements and address the factors driving the displacement.

When the fighting first broke out last week, Awaaz Punjab reported hundreds crossing into Kenya after the flag dispute. Read the earlier report