A harrowing memory continues to trouble Hawa Hassan, who fled her home in Ethiopia’s Moyale region, leaving nearly all her possessions behind.
asserted
who → continue → possessions
She said her house was torched amid the violence, but the incident that remains etched in her mind is the shooting of a 13-year-old girl who was sitting beside a wall.
asserted
who → say → wall
According to Hassan, the girl had not even touched a flag, a detail she cited while describing the tensions over flag displays in the disputed border region.
uncertain
she → accord → region
Her account of the teenager’s killing, however, could not be independently verified.
uncertain
account → verify → killing
The escape into neighbouring Kenya was equally traumatic.
asserted
escape → neighbour → Kenya
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Hassan said several women gave birth while fleeing, while many families arrived without food, cooking equipment or bedding.
asserted
families → speak → food
Newborn babies were left sleeping on bare floors.
asserted
babies → leave → floors
Cases of diarrhoea were spreading, and families were increasingly worried about malaria as mosquito populations grew.
asserted
populations → spread → malaria
For thousands of people, crossing into Kenya has meant escaping gunfire only to confront another battle for survival.
asserted
crossing → cross → survival
Finding food, shelter and basic necessities has become an immediate challenge.
asserted
Finding → find → food
The influx is also placing considerable pressure on Kenyan host communities, where families have opened their homes despite having limited resources and growing fears that the violence could spread across the border.
uncertain
violence → place → border
Displacement numbers continue to rise
A government-led assessment carried out on October 29 and 30 estimated that 35,950 people had been displaced as of October 24.
asserted
people → continue → October
Of these, approximately 25,000 were living with host families, while nearly 11,000 had taken shelter at temporary displacement sites.
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11,000 → live → sites
The number has increased considerably since then.
asserted
number → increase → ?
During a meeting, Kenya Red Cross regional head Malik Adan said the estimated number of people displaced by the fighting had risen from around 36,000 to more than 50,000.
asserted
number → say → 50,000
The figure includes those staying in temporary settlements as well as people accommodated by relatives and host families.
asserted
figure → include → relatives
However, the overall displacement figure has not been independently verified, and authorities have yet to establish a final count.
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authorities → verify → count
The initial assessment covered 758 households and involved government agencies, United nations bodies, the Kenya red cross and other humanitarian organisations.
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assessment → cover → agencies
The estimates reflect different reporting periods and should not be treated as directly comparable.
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estimates → reflect → periods
The conflict stems from a long-running disagreement over territorial boundaries and administrative authority between Ethiopia's Oromia and Somali regional administrations.
asserted
conflict → stem → administrations
Tensions intensified around October 18 following the raising of the Somali regional flag in the disputed Moyale area, highlighting competing claims over the territory.
uncertain
Tensions → intensify → territory
For families arriving in Kenya, however, the political dispute has taken a back seat to more immediate concerns about finding somewhere to sleep and securing food for their children.
asserted
dispute → arrive → children
Humanitarian assistance faces mounting pressure
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assistance → face → pressure
Mwasaru Mercy, Kenya's acting commissioner for refugee affairs, told Al Jazeera that a multi-agency government team had been sent to Moyale.
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team → act → Moyale
The Department of Refugee Services is working alongside local authorities and the United nations high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) to coordinate relief efforts.
asserted
Department → work → efforts
However, continued reports of gunfire have raised concerns about further displacement.
asserted
reports → raise → displacement
Many of those arriving urgently require food, shelter, blankets, bedding and mosquito nets.
asserted
Many → arrive → food
"There are no contingency food stocks specifically for this incident because it happened abruptly," Mercy said.
asserted
Mercy → be → incident
The authorities are attempting to mobilise humanitarian agencies and donors to provide assistance.
asserted
authorities → attempt → assistance
A dedicated refugee camp has not yet been established, as officials want the security situation to improve before taking such a step.
asserted
situation → establish → step
Meanwhile, the government is coordinating with UNHCR to register arrivals and assess their requirements.
asserted
government → coordinate → requirements
According to Mercy, those affected include Ethiopians escaping the violence, traders and Kenyan residents who have been forced to leave their homes after stray ammunition landed in their neighbourhoods.
uncertain
ammunition → accord → neighbourhoods
Fatima Mohammed Cole, UNHCR's representative in Kenya, said women and children account for a significant proportion of the new arrivals.
asserted
women → say → arrivals
Displaced families are scattered across several locations, including six sites accommodating Ethiopian nationals.
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families → scatter → nationals
The immediate requirements include shelter, food and medical assistance.
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requirements → include → shelter
Overcrowded living conditions have also raised fears of disease outbreaks.
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conditions → raise → outbreaks
Cole said gunfire continued to be heard in Moyale and called for a ceasefire to allow displaced families to return safely to their homes.
asserted
families → say → homes
Relief operations are also taking place on the Ethiopian side of the border.
asserted
operations → take → border
The Ethiopian red cross society said it had distributed emergency shelter materials and essential household supplies worth approximately 30 million Ethiopian birr ($182,970) to 1,000 households displaced from Moyale town and nearby areas.
asserted
it → say → town
The assistance includes 2,000 tarpaulins, blankets, sleeping mats, dignity kits, water containers, kitchen sets, soap and solar lamps.
asserted
assistance → include → tarpaulins
…and 28 more, not listed.
The Aporia
