MOYALE, Kenya — More than 14,000 Ethiopians have crossed into northern Kenya to escape clashes between Oromo and Somali communities along Ethiopia’s southern border, the Kenya Red Cross said on Saturday, Oct. 24. Aid workers warned that food, water and sanitation are running short.
The fighting, which broke out on Wednesday, is one of several deadly outbreaks of violence across Africa in recent days. Mali’s army raised the death toll from attacks on camps in the country’s northeast to 54. U.S. forces carried out new airstrikes in Somalia, and gunmen killed at least 10 people in a village in eastern Nigeria.
Refugee numbers jump in Moyale
According to the Kenya Red Cross, more than 10,900 people are sheltering in six camps in and around Moyale, a border town split between Kenya and Ethiopia. About 4,000 more are staying with relatives and host families, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported Unverified claim, Anadolu Agency (Turkish state media). The figure is a sharp rise from Friday, when Marsabit County Commissioner Stanley Kamande put the number of arrivals at more than 2,000.
“We urgently need more well-wishers to support us with food and water. There is also a need for sanitary supplies and more toilets to avert diarrheal diseases,” said Malik Adan, the Kenya Red Cross head for the Upper Eastern region.
The clashes are rooted in a dispute over the display of the Somali Regional State flag in an area administered by Oromia. Both are federal regions of Ethiopia. At least nine deaths were reported on Friday, and officials fear that more than a dozen people may have been killed as fighting continues, Anadolu reported. Those tolls have not been independently confirmed. Moyale lies about 780 kilometers (485 miles) north of Nairobi and 775 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, and the violence has disrupted cross-border trade.
Mali: 54 bodies found after camp attacks
Mali’s armed forces said on Saturday that they had found 54 bodies after attacks the previous weekend on camps in the Ménaka region, raising the toll by six, Agence France-Presse reported. The camps mainly housed members of the Daoussahak community. They lie about 50 kilometers from the town of Ménaka, in or around the village of Tinabow and the Tagadayat area. Nine survivors were evacuated to Ménaka.
The army said testimonies indicated the attack was carried out by the Sahel branch of the Islamic State group. Gunmen reportedly rode in on motorcycles and opened fire on the camps.
Somalia: U.S. and Somali strikes on al-Shabaab
U.S. Africa Command said it conducted airstrikes against al-Shabaab on Oct. 23 near Bulo Bashiir, about 7 kilometers northeast of Janale, in coordination with Somalia’s federal government. AFRICOM did not release casualty figures.
Somalia’s state news agency SONNA Unverified claim, SONNA (Somali state media) said Danab commandos of the Somali National Army killed seven al-Shabaab militants during a planned operation, named Operation Banooda, on the outskirts of Leego in the Bay region. That figure could not be independently verified.
Nigeria: gunmen raid Taraba village
In Nigeria’s Taraba state, gunmen attacked Binnari village in the Karim Lamido area on Friday, BBC News reported. Police said they recovered 10 bodies, many with gunshot wounds, after responding to a distress call. Eyewitnesses put the number of dead at 20, and a non-governmental organization said up to 50 people may have been killed. Those higher figures have not been confirmed.
“We were able to disperse the unknown gunmen though there was no casualty on their side and ours because the terrain is difficult and they’re used to the terrain,” Assistant Superintendent of Police Victor Mshelizah said. Community leader Malam Abubakar Saifullahi told AFP the attackers arrived on about 50 motorcycles, two men to each. Amnesty International accused the authorities of failing to protect rural communities.
Key numbers
14,000+ Ethiopians in Kenya (Kenya Red Cross) · 54 bodies found in Mali’s Ménaka region (Malian army) · 10 bodies recovered in Taraba, Nigeria (police)
The Boston Report has previously covered violence in the region, including the drone strike in Abyei on the Sudan–South Sudan border. U.S. force posture is tracked on our Military Deployments Tracker. More coverage is on our Warfare, World Affairs and Geopolitics hubs.
Sources
- Anadolu Agency (Turkish state media): Over 14,000 flee Ethiopia clashes into Kenya
- The Hindu / AFP: Military ups death toll in Mali attack to 54
- U.S. Africa Command: U.S. forces conduct strikes targeting al-Shabaab
- BBC News: Gunmen attack village in Taraba state
Additional sources
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