Number of People Fleeing Ethiopia into Kenya Rises to 36,000 as Local Leaders Appeal for Support

The number of people fleeing violence in Ethiopia into neighboring Kenya has risen to 36,000, the United Nations said Tuesday, as fighting near the border town of Moyale continues to displace civilians, mostly women and children. The Kenya Red Cross said the displaced people were sheltering in six camps and villages within host communities. … The fighting on the Ethiopian side of the border stems from a territorial dispute between the Oromia and Somali regional administrations, aggravated by the killing of a 13-year-old girl in an area administered by the Somali regional administration. … Local leaders in Kenya’s Marsabit County expressed concern that the influx could overwhelm communities hosting thousands of those fleeing and appealed for support. The violence has raised security concerns on the Kenyan side of the border, with police reporting three incidents involving stray bullets in Moyale last week. AP