MOYALE, Kenya, Oct 23 – Hundreds of Ethiopian nationals, mainly women, children and young people, have crossed into Kenya through Moyale following escalating tensions between regional leaderships in Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regions, prompting heightened security surveillance along the border.
A police security brief reported an influx of Ethiopians through several entry points around Moyale, including Sessi, Kore, Biashara, Foundation and Miti areas.
The movement reportedly began on the night of October 21, with police estimating that the number of people crossing into Kenya had reached hundreds, although the exact figure had not been established.
According to the brief from Moyale Police Station, the arrivals were fleeing their country following differences between the leadership of Ethiopia’s Oromia Region and the Somali Region, which includes communities associated with the Garre.
The report also indicated that gunshots had been heard from the Ethiopian side of the border from approximately 5:50am on October 22, with the shooting continuing at the time of the briefing.
Authorities were notified of the developments, while the Moyale Sub-County Security Team and the Moyale Cross-Border Peace Committee were activated to help ease tensions among communities living along the border.
Police said the Kenyan side of Moyale remained relatively peaceful, with security officers placed on high alert to monitor the situation and prevent any escalation.
The reported influx comes as the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) steps up humanitarian assistance for families arriving in Moyale with few belongings and urgent needs for shelter, food, safe water and healthcare.
In a statement issued on October 22, the humanitarian agency said its initial response would target 1,000 households affected by the cross-border insecurity.
Kenya Red Cross teams, working with the Marsabit County Government, national authorities and humanitarian partners, have begun setting up temporary shelters and distributing essential household supplies.
The assistance includes tents, blankets, sleeping mats, jerrycans and kitchen sets to help families meet their immediate needs.
The agency is also providing Super Cereal, a fortified porridge flour, to support the nutritional needs of young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. First aid is being offered to those requiring immediate medical attention.
Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Dr Ahmed Idris said the organisation’s priority was to ensure families arriving in Moyale received protection and assistance with dignity.
“Our priority is to make sure every family arriving in Moyale is safe, sheltered and treated with dignity. Our volunteers and staff are on the ground and will continue to respond as needs evolve,” Idris said.
The humanitarian agency is conducting a rapid needs assessment to establish the scale of assistance required as more details emerge about the situation at the border.
Preliminary findings point to urgent needs in food, safe water, sanitation and hygiene, primary healthcare and protection services.
Kenya Red Cross said it was paying particular attention to vulnerable groups, including women, children, older persons and people living with disabilities.
The organisation is also working to restore family links to help relatives who became separated during displacement reconnect.
The initial target of 1,000 households reflects the planned reach of the emergency response, while the total number of people who have crossed into Kenya remains unconfirmed in the police brief.
Kenyan authorities have activated local security and peace structures to manage tensions in communities on both sides of the border.
The Moyale Sub-County Security Team and the Moyale Cross-Border Peace Committee are expected to help contain tensions and support peaceful relations among border communities.
Police said officers remained on high alert and were monitoring developments following reports of continued gunfire on the Ethiopian side.
The security measures are intended to maintain calm in the Kenyan border town as authorities assess the situation and monitor further movement across the border.
The developments highlight the potential humanitarian consequences of tensions between communities and regional leaderships in neighbouring Ethiopia.
The reported movement of hundreds of people into Moyale has placed immediate demands on local authorities and humanitarian agencies to provide shelter, essential supplies and protection.
Kenya Red Cross said it would continue coordinating with national and county governments and humanitarian partners as the situation evolves.
The agency reaffirmed that assistance would be provided to all affected people based on need, in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality and neutrality.
While police reported that the Kenyan side of Moyale remained relatively peaceful as of October 22, officers continued monitoring the border amid reports of gunfire across the frontier.
Authorities have yet to establish the exact number of Ethiopians who have entered Kenya or the full extent of the humanitarian needs arising from the reported influx.