Khartoum, August 03 (Darfur24)
Several Ethiopian refugees were killed and injured after artillery shells landed on refugee camps in Sudan’s Al-Qadarif State during clashes between the Ethiopian army and forces from the Tigray region, Sudan’s Commission for Refugees said on Sunday.
Sudan hosts about 63,000 Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers, most of whom live in camps in Al-Qadarif and Kassala states.
In a statement, the commission said fighting that erupted on Friday, July 31, along the Sudan-Ethiopia border resulted in projectiles striking several refugee camps, causing casualties among the refugee population. It did not specify the number of those killed or injured.
The commission expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation along the border, noting that the area serves as a key entry point for people fleeing violence in Ethiopia.
It warned that continued military escalation could trigger a new influx of refugees into Sudan while further worsening humanitarian and security conditions in border areas.
The commission called on the international community, regional organizations, the United Nations, and humanitarian agencies to step up efforts to protect refugees and provide emergency assistance to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
Renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has raised fears of another wave of displacement into Sudan, which has already received tens of thousands of Ethiopians since the conflict erupted in November 2020. Although a peace agreement signed in November 2022 ended the two-year war, recent clashes have renewed concerns over instability and cross-border displacement.