Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ethiopia’s Amhara region have surged over the past four months, the United Nations (UN) has said.
In a report released on Friday by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that a total of 76,345 individuals have been displaced in the region during this period.
“Of these, 34 percent have integrated with local communities, while the majority have sought refuge in overcrowded collective centers,” it said.
The UN agency highlighted that the ongoing displacement is fueled by persistent insecurity, which has not only intensified displacement but has also severely impacted the local economy.
“This disruption of livelihoods and the strain on host communities have further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis,” the report stated.
Recent reports suggest that ongoing hostilities and conflicts in various parts of Ethiopia are the primary cause of displacement for many IDPs currently residing in Amhara, sheltered across 88 sites throughout the region.
In January 2023, the Amhara Disaster Prevention and Food Security Commission reported a significant surge in the number of displaced persons seeking refuge in the Amhara region, exceeding one million.
MG/as/APA