Addis Ababa — The Ethiopian Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) has commenced the relocation of Sudanese refugees from the Amhara region to a newly designated site, amid escalating security concerns and deteriorating conditions at their current shelters.
Tamirat Demisse, coordinator of the Kumar, Awlala, and Alemwach refugee centers, confirmed to Voice of America that the process of transferring the refugees to a site named “Aftet” in the West Gondar Zone is underway. “Site selection has already been completed,” Demisse stated.
Approximately a month ago, around 1,000 Sudanese refugees vacated the Kumar and Awlala refugee sites due to fears for their safety and insufficient services. Since then, they have been camping along a roadside near their former shelters.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported that these refugees recently began a hunger strike, heightening the already fraught security situation.
The UN agency has raised concerns that the roadside encampment, combined with poor sanitary conditions, poses serious health risks.
Additionally, the UNHCR has indicated that an estimated 7,000 more refugees were forced to flee the camps in the Amhara region following a series of attacks and thefts by local militias.
The humanitarian situation remains precarious as authorities and aid agencies work to ensure the safety and well-being of the displaced population.
Efforts to relocate the refugees to the Aftet site are seen as a critical step in addressing their immediate needs and mitigating the risks they face. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, calling for enhanced protection and support for the affected refugees.
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