The Ethiopian-Kenyan border town of Moyale town is staring at a possible humanitarian crisis due to the rising number of refugees fleeing a military miscalculated-operation in Ethiopia into Kenya.
The Red Cross reported that over 8000 civilians have crossed into neighboring Kenya to seek asylum after government troops allegedly killed at least nine civilians in the Ethiopia's largest region, Oromiya.
The recent crackdown by the country’s soldiers on the Bale zone, in Oromia town, Ethiopia, according to the Ethiopian News Agency, started about few weeks ago and has further triggered the sudden influx of people from Ethiopia into Kenya.
The Ethiopian government reportedly attempted to expand the capital, Addis Ababa, into the surrounding areas in accordance with its so-called Masterplan, a move which has further triggered the unrest.
For the past few weeks, since the military commenced the crackdown on the Oromo Liberation Front, residents of the Ethiopian part of the town have been pouring into Kenya.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Government has announced the deployment of soldiers to the Moyale area, in an attempt to pursuing fighters of the Oromo Liberation Front, which it declared as a terrorist group.
Local media revealed that some soldiers launched an attack based on a faulty intelligence report. The forces reportedly killed at least nine people and injured 12. This however received public outrage, forcing the government to disarmed and court martial five of the officers involved in the killing.
Solomon Gubo, the Deputy Governor of Moyale County, disclosed that his government is helping the refugees to settle in, but it is proving to be a challenge especially due to the heavy rains and insufficient humanitarian assistance.
He said, "There is no housing, there is no food; that is the challenge we are facing as of now."
A public health officer, Sacha Tacho said, “hospitals in Moyale have been overwhelmed by the number of people seeking treatment for gunshot wounds.
"We have another very sick patient in the ward, with a bullet in the neck, the bullet is still in the neck and we cannot remove it here in Moyale."
According to Abdurahman Bakar, a resident of the city, about five civilians from a single family were killed by Security Forces in Bale zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Taye Dendea, spokesperson of the state-run Oromia Justice Bureau told a Deutsche Wells, a foreign media, that government’s actions on innocent civilians base on wrong information is totally unacceptable.
He said, "This is a premeditated crime and it is also a war crime against the people. Firing a machine gun at people in their house, daily laborers on the street.
"People trading in their shops and people eating at restaurant is totally unacceptable. Some of them were told to kneel and were shot on the spot," Dendea who was later arrested by the military told DW.
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