Heavy fighting erupts between Somali and Ethiopian Oromia forces

Moyale (Caasimada Online) – Several people have died in the fighting that has occurred in recent days in the city of Moyale between the Somali and Oromia regional forces in Ethiopia, sources told the AFP news agency on Saturday.

The fighting, which is rooted in land disputes, began on Tuesday after the flag of the Somali regional government was raised in the city. Moyale is near the Kenyan border and is jointly administered by the two regional governments.

The conflict monitoring agency ACLED reported that this action led to a confrontation that resulted in the death of a 13-year-old girl. The agency also reported the deaths of at least five other people.

“The Somali forces are firing heavy weapons at large buildings in the city, while the Oromia forces are also fighting back,” Wako Ganale, a local resident, told AFP over the phone.

Another local resident, named Hussein Halkeno, told the agency that several civilians have died and been injured in the fighting.

AFP reported that the sound of gunfire was heard during both phone conversations, but could not independently verify the death toll.

Hundreds of people have fled to Kenya

The fighting has also caused widespread displacement, with people fleeing the conflict crossing into Kenya.

Malik Adan, a member of the Red Cross in Kenya, told NTV on Friday that at least 10,000 people have fled to that country to escape the fighting.

The federal government of Ethiopia, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from Oromia, has not yet commented on the conflict, according to an AFP report on Saturday.

The clashes in Moyale are joining armed conflicts occurring in various parts of Ethiopia.

Disputes over the borders of the regional states, which were established in 1991, have frequently caused clashes.

The federal government has been engaged in battles for several years with militias operating in Oromia and Amhara, which are the two most populous regional states in the country.

A war has also erupted again in the northern region of Tigray, following months of tensions. That region previously experienced a conflict that caused significant destruction between 2020 and 2022.

On the other hand, the diplomatic dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea has heightened fears of another war between the two neighboring countries.