Almost 70,000 people enter Ethiopia from Sudan

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The number of people entering Ethiopia from Sudan is nearing 70,000, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Wednesday.

The IOM, the UN migration agency, said in its latest situation update that the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to neighboring countries.
Figures from the UN migration agency indicate that as of July 23, more than 69,000 people have arrived in Ethiopia through multiple border crossing points in the East African countrys Amhara, Benishangul Gumz and Gambella regions.

The IOM said onward transportation is one of the key needs and gaps, which is further compounded by heavy rains that have made the conditions and terrains very difficult for aid workers to provide timely support.

Amid the continued number of people crossing into Ethiopia, the IOM stressed that inadequate access to life-saving services including food, non-food items, water and sanitation, as well as health services, has remained a challenge.

On Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said among the total arrivals, the number of Ethiopian returnees account for about 49 percent while Sudanese nationals make up 30 percent.

Source: Xinhua