© UNHCR/Hazim Elhag /  Ethiopian refugees fleeing clashes in the country’s northern Tigray region, rest and cook meals near UNHCR’s Hamdayet reception centre after crossing into Sudan.

By  Gary  Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED  NATIONS  –  NEW  YORK  –   The  U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) warned Monday that a “full scale humanitarian crisis” is developing in the Horn-of-Africa nation Ethiopia as more than 25,000 refugees flee a military conflict in the Tigray region into neighboring Sudan.  More than 27,000 have now crossed into Sudan through crossing points in Kassala and Gedaref states, as well as a new location further south at Aderafi, where Ethiopian refugees started crossing over the weekend, according to UNHCR.  

“Refugees don’t have choices. They are escaping from extreme poverty, war, crime and other forms of violence. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.”

Thousands of people have been forced to flee Ethiopia’s Tigray region into Sudan. They fear for their lives and the lives of their families.

🚨 Lifesaving assistance is urgently needed. Here’s how you can help: https://t.co/Gqjv1rROZv pic.twitter.com/4Ur3eyKaMQ

— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) November 16, 2020

The scale of the influx is the worst that part of the country has seen in over 20 years, according to the agency.

“Women, men and children have been crossing the border at the rate of 4,000 per day since 10 November, rapidly overwhelming the humanitarian response capacity on the ground,” said Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson, briefing reporters in Geneva.

“Refugees fleeing the fighting continue to arrive exhausted from the long trek to safety, with few belongings”, he added.

According to news reports, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, has indicated the military operation that was launched in response to the reported occupation of a Government military base by Tigrayan forces nearly two weeks ago, would continue, although he said it was now in its “final phase”

  ETHIOPIA REQUESTS 4,000 TROOPS FROM S. SUDAN AS VIOLENCE REACHES BOILING POINT: Thessherald

The Office of the Ethiopian Prime Minister has reportedly sent a letter – requesting 4,000 troops from neighboring South Sudan as the armed conflict escalates in the Tigray region, a senior government official told Thessherald –   

“Yes, the Ethiopian Prime Minister has requested us to help them bring orders in their own country by contributing at least 4,000 SSPDF soldiers to fight alongside their forces,” said the official, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.  -Thessherald