15 Jan 2018 | 08:35 AM UTC
Ethiopia: Some 900,000 displaced in Oromia and Somali regions
Some 900,000 people internally displaced in Oromia and Somali regions due to violence as of January 10
Event
There were around 900,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ethiopia's Oromia and Somali regions as of Wednesday, January 10. According to the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), an uptick in ethno-political violence since September 2017 has been a primary driver of internal displacement within the affected regions; IDPs in the region reside in roughly 200 different locations – both formal camps and informal sites – throughout the Oromia and Somali regions. Humanitarian conditions are expected to further deteriorate in the affected regions in the coming weeks and months, as the ongoing conflict will likely continue to hinder the distribution of needed humanitarian aid and assistance.
Context
Tensions between the Oromo and Somali ethnic groups have increased following renewed fighting that broke out in September 2017. The two groups are involved in a historical dispute over the territorial boundaries between the Somali and Oromo regional states.
The Oromia region has also been the site of sporadic anti-government protests for the past three years over the alleged historic marginalization of the region by the Ethiopian government.
Advice
Individuals in Ethiopia are advised to monitor developments to the situation and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.
