In total, more than 27,000 people have now traveled into Sudan at three border locations, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said at a news conference in Geneva.
“Refugees fleeing the fighting continue to arrive exhausted from the long trek to safety, with few belongings,” Baloch added. “UNHCR, with its partners, is supporting the Sudanese government in its response, ramping up humanitarian assistance at the borders as the needs continue to grow.”
A deadline for TPLF forces to lay down arms has expired, Abiy warned in a Facebook post published on Tuesday. He also promised to “reintegrate our fellow Ethiopians fleeing to neighboring countries” in a tweet on Monday night.
Across the border in Sudan, refugees from Tigray are arriving exhausted and with few belongings, said the UNHCR. In the border town of Hamdayet, clean water is available and latrines are being built but the agency says it is concerned about hygiene conditions as thousands more people continue to arrive on a daily basis.
Other humanitarian organizations are also distributing relief items, including blankets and sleeping mats, according to the UNHCR. The World Food Programme is providing high-protein biscuits, while hot meals are being distributed by Muslim Aid.
In Tigray, a lack of electricity, telecommunications and access to fuel and cash is hampering humanitarian efforts and making it difficult to verify information about attacks in the region.
Speaking at the State House in Nairobi on Monday, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta urged the fighting parties to find a “peaceful means to end the crisis.”
“Being one of the oldest countries that was not colonized in Africa, Ethiopia is the pride of the continent,” Museveni said.
CNN’s Sharon Braithwaite contributed to this report.
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