Conflict in Moyale continues; 50,000 displaced to Kenya

Approximately 50,000 people have fled into Kenya following ongoing clashes between the Oromia and Somali regions in the Ethiopian border town of Moyale, the UN reports. Kenyan police commander George Kipkoros confirmed that errant munitions from the fighting crossed the border, with one landing near a school, though no casualties were reported from those incidents. Neither the Ethiopian federal government nor the respective regional administrations have issued statements regarding the conflict.

The violence reportedly began after the planting of a Somali regional flag led to a fatal confrontation. Regional officials are accusing each other of instigating the violence, stemming from long-standing border disputes exacerbated by the Somali region's creation of new districts last year. Kenya has deployed additional security forces to the border area due to the ongoing security concerns.