Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A UN spokesman said that more than 63,000 people have been recorded as “internally displaced” in Tigray, but the UN hopes to know the true number once the world body has more access.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told the regular press briefing that in Ethiopia, the UN continues to engage at the highest levels with the federal government to work out operational details “to guarantee humanitarian access.”
“We are also working to scale up humanitarian assistance in the Tigray region once access is re-established,” he said.
“In the meantime, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that arrangements are being made to deploy surge teams to different areas in Tigray, Afar and Amhara, and that supplies – including food, health, emergency shelter, and other items – are being continuously mobilized,” he added.
The spokesman said that in neighboring Sudan, UN humanitarian teams there have said that “there are still challenges to help the increasing number of refugees crossing the border.”
“Water, hygiene and sanitation services are extremely limited in all transit centers, as well as in Um Raquba settlement, to where over 16,000 refugees have now been relocated,” said the spokesman.
More than 50,000 people have now fled to Sudan since the beginning of the conflict in Tigray, which started in early November, Dujarric added.
The crisis erupted early last month during clashes between Tigray rebels and the federal government, cutting civilians from necessities, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes and refugee camps running out of supplies.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s armed forces said that a number of its officers had been ambushed by “Ethiopian forces and militias” during a security patrol of the border region.
“During the return of our forces from combing the area around Jabal Abutiour inside our territory, they were ambushed by Ethiopian forces and militias inside Sudanese territory, as a result of which lives and equipment were lost,” the army said, adding the attack took place on Tuesday.
The Sudanese army did not specify how many officers were killed. Local residents said that reinforcements were being sent to the area, which is part of the Fashaqa locality where some Ethiopian refugees have been crossing into Sudan.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok visited Ethiopia briefly on Sunday and relayed his concerns about threats to Sudan’s security along its border with Tigray. — NNN-AGENCIES