Tigray refugees flee into Sudan after deadly violence on Ethiopia border

KHARTOUM: Tens of thousands of Ethiopians from the northern Tigray region have fled into Sudan over the past two days, fleeing intense border clashes, according to Sudanese and medical sources. The fighting erupted near the border in the western Tigray area of Shererina, where Ethiopian army and Tigray rebels engaged in heavy artillery and drone attacks.

A Sudanese security source reported that wounded fighters among those fleeing to Sudan included injured TPLF rebels. Medical personnel in al-Hashaba, a Sudanese border town serving as an administrative hub for the Tigrayan-affiliated forces, reported treating many wounded arrivals. Residents in nearby villages reported hearing explosions and gunfire throughout the fighting, with heavy gunfire still audible at 4.30 pm local time.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front accused Ethiopia's federal government of launching a large-scale infantry offensive, a claim unverified by AFP. Ethiopia and Sudan have been in a long-running conflict over control of the contested western Tigray region, which tensions flared again in April 2023.