Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Monday said his country wants to “receive and reintegrate” thousands of refugees fleeing the northern state of Tigray.
Federal forces are fighting local troops in Tigray forcing over 25,000 people to flee to neighbouring countries.
Many of them have fled into Sudan, according to UN refugee agency officials who toured the border region on Saturday.
The UNHCR assistant representative in Sudan Jan Hansmann has said that the priority of his agency was to provide the refugees with shelter, food and water.
The agency hopes to also transfer them to regions far from the border “for security reasons”.
But Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed said in a tweet that the “government is ready to receive and reintegrate our fellow Ethiopians fleeing to neighboring countries.
We vow to our innocent civilians that have fled, to protect their property, enable humanitarian support by the ENDF and guarantee their peace upon return.”
The Ethiopian government is ready to receive and reintegrate our fellow Ethiopians fleeing to neighboring countries. We vow to our innocent civilians that have fled, to protect their property, enable humanitarian support by the ENDF and guarantee their peace upon return.
— Abiy Ahmed Ali ?? (@AbiyAhmedAli) November 16, 2020
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed this month ordered military operations in Tigray region after accusing forces in the region of attacking federal troops.
The move has escalated a long-running feud with the region’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
On Sunday the leader of the Tigray region claimed responsibility for rocket strikes on the airport of neighbouring Eritrea’s capital.
There are concerns the conflict could widen and create more tension, forcing some 200,000 people to flee.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has already rejected a request for peace talks over the worsening conflict situation in Tigray.
Source: Africafeeds.com
