Fighting between Ethiopian forces, rebels endangers Sudanese refugees: Rights group

​​ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

Recent clashes between the Ethiopian government forces and the Amhara-based Fano militia have intensified in the northwest region of Ethiopia, putting thousands of Sudanese refugees at severe risk, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Thursday.

The violence, which has escalated since September, has further jeopardized the safety of refugees who fled the conflict in Sudan, the rights group said in a report.

Since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees have crossed the border into Ethiopia. Many were initially settled in camps in the Amhara region, northwest of the country.

However, these refugees have been exposed to violence, including attacks, kidnapping, and forced labor by unidentified armed groups and militias, with the recent fighting exacerbating the situation.

“These refugees have fled horrific abuses back home and urgently need protection, not further threats to their lives,” said Laetitia Bader, HRW’s director for the Horn of Africa, as quoted in the report, stressing the need for the federal government to step up protection for refugees.

The report also noted that efforts by Ethiopian authorities and the UN refugee agency to relocate refugees to safer areas have so far failed due to the ongoing conflict between the government troops and the Fano militia.