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Nearly 40,000 Ethiopians have sought refuge in Kenya after fleeing deadly clashes in their country, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said Tuesday. The commission urged authorities to provide emergency assistance and protect civilians escaping the violence, Anadolu Agency reported.
“The protection of life and human dignity cannot be postponed,” KNCHR Chairperson Claris Ogangah said in a statement. She called on responsible authorities and partners to act urgently, in coordination and with compassion, so that people seeking safety in Moyale are protected by law and can access essential humanitarian assistance.
The figure is a sharp increase from the more than 14,000 displaced Ethiopians reported by the Kenya Red Cross over the weekend. Fighting between regional security forces and armed civilians from Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regional states has continued near the shared border.
KNCHR said it was concerned by reports that approximately 40,000 people had sought refuge in Moyale after fleeing unrest in Ethiopia. More than 15,000 were reportedly staying in eight temporary shelters, including churches and schools, while over 20,000 others were being accommodated by relatives and friends.
The influx has placed considerable pressure on host communities. Shortages of food, clean water, shelter, sanitation and healthcare have raised concerns about worsening humanitarian conditions, while overcrowding and inadequate sanitation could increase the risk of communicable disease outbreaks, the commission warned.
KNCHR also reported that two women had given birth at Manyatta Burji and another two at Bitiye, highlighting urgent needs for maternal healthcare, emergency treatment and postnatal services.
Clashes follow flag and administrative office dispute
The humanitarian crisis follows clashes involving security forces and armed civilians from Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regional states, particularly among the Oromo Borana and Somali Garre communities. Both groups live in areas around Moyale, where longstanding disputes over administrative boundaries and territorial control have repeatedly fueled tensions.
The latest violence was preceded by a dispute over raising the Somali Regional State flag and opening a new administrative office in an area of Moyale claimed by Oromia authorities. Tensions intensified after a 13-year-old girl was killed on Oct. 18, triggering protests, business closures and further confrontations between the communities.
Heavy fighting erupted on Oct. 22, with regional security forces and armed civilians exchanging gunfire as violence spread to several settlements in southern Ethiopia. Representatives of the rival communities have accused each other of provoking the clashes, while residents have reported deaths, injuries and the destruction of homes and businesses.
The fighting has also disrupted transport and commercial activity along the Kenya-Ethiopia border, an important trade corridor linking the two East African countries. Kenyan lawmakers from Marsabit County earlier appealed to President William Ruto to engage Ethiopian authorities diplomatically and help restore calm.
KNCHR called on the Kenyan and Ethiopian governments to coordinate efforts to address the violence and ensure the safe and humane movement of civilians across the border. It stressed that Kenya’s constitutional protections apply to everyone within its borders, regardless of nationality or immigration status.
The commission also reminded authorities of their obligations under international refugee law, including the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning people to places where they face persecution or serious threats to their safety. It said assistance should also take into account the needs of Kenyan communities hosting displaced families, and warned that coordinated intervention was essential to prevent conditions from deteriorating further.
