On Tuesday, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned of an unfolding full-scale humanitarian crisis as thousands of refugees flee the ongoing fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region each day to seek safety in eastern Sudan.
In a statement, the UNHCR said that more than 27,000 have now crossed into Sudan through crossing points in Kassala and Gedaref states, as well as a new location further south at Aderafi, where Ethiopian refugees started crossing over the weekend.
The scale of the influx is the worst that part of the country has seen in over 20 years, according to the agency.
“Women, men and children have been crossing the border at the rate of 4,000 per day since 10 November, rapidly overwhelming the humanitarian response capacity on the ground,” said Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson, briefing reporters in Geneva.
“Refugees fleeing the fighting continue to arrive exhausted from the long trek to safety, with few belongings”, he added.
According to news reports, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has indicated the military operation that was launched, in response to the reported occupation of a Government military base by Tigrayan forces nearly two weeks ago, would continue.
However, he said it was now in its “final phase”.
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