Hundreds of Ethiopians have crossed into Kenya following rising tensions between Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regional states, as gunfire and chaotic scenes were reported in the border town of Moyale. Kenyan police said the arrivals began on Wednesday, with women, children and young people making up most of those crossing through several entry points, including Sessi, Kore, Biashara, Foundation and Miti. Gunfire was heard on the Ethiopian side from around 5:50 a.m. on Thursday, according to a police security brief.
A woman was shot in the neck and taken to a private hospital in Moyale, where the bullet was removed. She was reported to be in stable condition. A police officer escaped injury after a bullet struck a metal support bar at the local police station’s football ground. Another bullet shattered a window at La-Tahsan Hotel. Police did not identify where the gunfire originated. The Kenya Red Cross is preparing emergency assistance, including temporary shelter and food supplies such as cereal and porridge flour. The organization said its initial response would target 1,000 households. The crossings highlight growing humanitarian concerns along the Kenya-Ethiopia border as authorities and aid workers respond to the arrivals. Further details about the security situation and the number of people affected were not immediately available.
