More than 64,000 people enter Ethiopia from Sudan

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Xinhua |  The number of people entering Ethiopia from Sudan has surpassed 64,000, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Wednesday.

The IOM, a UN migration agency, in its latest situation update issued Wednesday, said the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to neighboring countries.

It said as of Tuesday, more than 64,000 people had arrived in Ethiopia through multiple border crossing points in the country’s Amhara, Benishangul Gumz and Gambella regions.

Amid the increasing number of people crossing into Ethiopia, the IOM said heavy rains have made the conditions and terrains very difficult for aid workers to provide timely support.

The IOM said it has scaled up its presence at border crossing points and its migration response center in Metema, the major crossing point, providing multi-sectoral assistance to arriving people, including health, water and sanitation, mental health and psychosocial support, onward transportation, as well as tailored protection assistance.

Brutal fighting erupted in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, on April 15 and swiftly escalated in different parts of the country. The ongoing fighting is pitting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group.

Both sides have accused each other of initiating the conflict. Deep differences had emerged between the SAF and the RSF, particularly regarding the latter’s integration into the army as stipulated in a framework agreement signed between military and civilian leaders on Dec. 5, 2022. ■