May 8, 2023 (METEMA) – More than 15,700 people of over 60 nationalities have arrived at the Metema crossing point between Sudan and Ethiopia since April 21, the United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA) said.
This comes in the wake of ongoing clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 15. The fighting, humanitarian agencies say, has seen over 550 people killed and thousands displaced.
According to the UN, Metema border town is receiving the larger portion of arrivals, while Kurmuk border town in Benishangul Gumuz has also received a few hundred to date. Other movements, it says, could potentially take place in other crossings in the western part of the country.
Amid all these movements of people, there are already reports of crossings across Gallabat and Taya border points to Gambella, Ethiopia.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people have reportedly been arriving daily from Sudan at the Metema border of Ethiopia’s West Gondar Zone, ranging between 600 to 1,100 daily as the security situation in Sudan continues.
The West Gondar Incident Command Post, OCHA said, convened in Gendawuha town on May 5 in its first humanitarian coordination response.
“An assortment of 1 metric ton of food, 850 plastic buckets, 4,100 laundry soap and 355 mosquito nets distributed among arrivals in Metema,” it said.
At least $445 million is required to support about 860,000 refugees and returnees from Sudan, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said last week.
The updates followed a preliminary summary of the inter-agency regional refugee response plan that will primarily cover immediate support in Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia and Central African Republic (CAR).
(ST)