The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the sudden escalation of hostilities in Alamata town and surrounding rural towns in northern Ethiopia since mid-April has displaced about 50,000 civilians - the majority of whom are women, children and the elderly - to neighboring Kobo district in North Wello zone and Sekota town in Wag Hamra zone. An undetermined number of casualties were reported in the fighting.
Meanwhile, the security situation in the area remains volatile, while the humanitarian situation for those forced to flee remains precarious. The Government of Ethiopia and a limited number of humanitarian organizations have begun to provide assistance. However, the response is not commensurate with the needs of the displaced due to a lack of resources.
According to Amhara officials, some 149 schools have reportedly been closed due to the recent clashes.
Most of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) have sought refuge in host communities, while others have taken shelter in an industrial site still under construction in an area called Gara Lencha, about three kilometers from Kobo town.
According to local officials, about 32,000 people from Raya Alamata, Bala and Alamata Town (North Wollo) and about 8,000 people from Korem Zata and Ofla (Wag Hamra) were displaced to the industrial site, located about three kilometers from Kobo town. An additional 11,000 people from Korem Zata and Ofla were reportedly displaced to Sekota (Wag Hamra).
According to the latest OCHA flash report, all displaced persons in the industrial zone have now returned or relocated to other IDP sites, but a significant number remain displaced elsewhere and require assistance.
Humanitarian organizations and local government officials say there are significant unmet humanitarian needs, including protection concerns. Increased protection and health risks for vulnerable women and children, women and child-headed households, gender-based violence, and the chronically ill are particularly critical.
Aid agencies also report challenges in reaching IDPs. In addition, members of the host communities themselves are in need and have limited coping capacities, but continue to provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable IDPs.
Fighting took place in and around Alamata town, including Raya Alamata, Zata and Ofla, which is an area claimed by both Tigray and the neighboring Amhara region. During the two-year war in Tigray, Amhara regional forces occupied and remained in control of the area.
Despite the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed by the parties to the conflict, the Ethiopian government and the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in November 2022, the administration of these disputed areas remains unresolved.
Last week, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, issued a statement calling on "both sides to urgently halt hostilities and ensure the safety of civilians to end the renewed displacement of the local population."
Faki Mahamat also called for the respect and full implementation of the CoHA.
Meanwhile, violence is escalating elsewhere in the country. In the Amhara region, fighting between the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and Fano militias continues, marking a year since clashes began in the region. In the past week, clashes have been reported in East Gojam, West Gojam, North Gondar and South Wello zones.
Fighting between the federal government and the armed group, which fought on the government side during the Tigray conflict, was sparked in April 2023 when the government asked the militia to join the country's police or military following the Tigray peace agreement.
As in the Amhara region, clashes have continued unabated in the Oromia region, where fighting between the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and government forces continues. Ongoing hostilities in western Oromia continue to displace thousands of civilians and hamper humanitarian operations. Tensions and violence in the Oromia region have resulted in an alarming number of casualties and a deeply disturbing overall situation.
Ethiopia is facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in recent history, with millions of lives at risk due to widespread hunger, conflict, disease outbreaks and climate-related emergencies. Some 21.4 million people in the country are in need of humanitarian assistance this year, including 12 million children.
Across the country, some 15.8 million people are in need of food assistance as a result of compounding crises, including the ongoing conflicts in Amhara and Oromia, the elusive peace in Tigray, and the persistent effects of climate change, which are fueling extreme weather events such as droughts and floods.
As a result of these multiple shocks, Ethiopia has one of the highest numbers of internally displaced people in Africa. Approximately 4.5 million people are internally displaced, and there are growing public health and protection concerns.
It is estimated that more than 940,000 children under five will require treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) this year, while 2.4 million children under five and 1.3 million malnourished pregnant and lactating mothers will require treatment for moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).
Food insecurity and malnutrition are expected to peak at 10.8 million people during the July-September lean season. The UN and humanitarian partners plan to scale up life-saving assistance to 15.5 million people, more than two-thirds of whom are women, girls and people with disabilities, and food assistance to 10.4 million people.
The humanitarian needs in Ethiopia are staggering, particularly in areas where conflict and drought have made it difficult for people to meet their most immediate survival needs. In addition, Ethiopia is grappling with several deadly outbreaks, including the largest cholera outbreak in its history, a significant increase in malaria cases, and a surge in measles cases.
The United Nations and its partners are seeking $3.24 billion to help 15.5 million people through 2024. At a high-level pledging event on April 16, donors committed US$610.1 million for humanitarian operations in Ethiopia, but US$1 billion is needed to fund the immediate response and ensure a pipeline of aid for the coming months.
Further information
Full text: Ethiopia - Flash Update #3: Displacement in North Wello and Wag Hamra Zones, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), report, last updated May 1, 2024
https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ethiopia/flash-update/1hkVNyqSW5oilvDoySLkk7/