Addis Ababa – A fire broke out in Um Lakba refugee camp in Sudan on March 20th. There, thousands of Tiguyan refugees displaced by the war at Tigray sought shelter, killing six-year-old children, causing damage to both human and material.
A local media outlet said the two-year-old “advocated for the life of a six-year-old boy.” Additionally, the camp’s health centres “already facing a serious medical supplies shortage” were unable to provide proper care, resulting in children being moved elsewhere.
Tigray TV also reported that the fire “had caused significant damage to property, including the destruction of several homes.”
After the war in Tigray in November 2020, thousands of Tiguyan refugees fled to Sudan to seek safety in refugee camps such as Umrakba and Thanidoba in eastern Sudan. Their situation has been further complicated by the expansion of violence in Sudan since April 2023, leading to the evacuation of humanitarian workers and a lack of assistance. Refugees report growing concerns about safety, food and healthcare as the situation worsens.
The first local rights group, Human Rights, Ethiopia, had previously called for the protection and relocation of Chiglayan refugees in eastern Sudan. The group urged “urgent resettlement” in their hometowns, including the Western Tigley, in line with the Pretoria Peace Agreement or in order to “urgent relocation…to a third country.”
In September 2024, the United Nations reported that Ethiopian refugees, originally from Tigray, were “forced to return home” due to the war in Sudan. According to UNHCR, as of August 7, 2024, at least 57,568 Ethiopians had moved to Ethiopia.
