NAIROBI, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) said on Friday that it has received about 9,667 Ethiopian asylum seekers in northern border town of Moyale following their displacement in a botched security operation on March 10.
KRCS Secretary General Abbas Gullet said mass nutrition screening is currently ongoing to establish the nutritional status of children under five years, pregnant and lactating women.
"The Kenya Red Cross Society has been conducting multiple interventions since this crisis broke out. Today, we have led a high delegation to Moyale with key partners and decision makers for them to witness firsthand the critical needs of these families. We really hope for a sustainable solution," Gullet said in a statement.
The red cross said it has established a makeshift camp at in Sololo to provide shelter for populations that were previously residing at Maeyi, Kukub, Gada Korma and Dambala Fachana in Sololo ward as efforts to set up transitional shelters and finalize on the camp are underway.
"The prevailing situation in the makeshift camps continues to be of concern as the children may be susceptible to infections, especially with the onset of rains, which may lead to a decline in their nutritional status," said the red cross.
The agency said the main ailments so far treated at the Out-Patient Department clinics during the medical outreaches are diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, eye infections and skin infections.
The KRCS said the much-needed humanitarian support is being provided, especially through food and non-food items, integrated medical outreaches, health education and sanitation.
The Marsabit County government has also been on site providing food and water to the refugees with support from well-wishers.
Ethiopian authorities have launched investigations into the killing of nine civilians who were killed in a botched security operation after mistaking them for members of the banned Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) who were attempting to sneak into the country.
The incident happened on March 10 when an army unit deployed around Moyale city along Ethiopia's border with its neighboring Kenya to intercept suspected OLF fighters, in which the soldiers mistakenly opened fire on civilians, killed nine and injured 12 others.
The Ethiopian government later disarmed some members of its army force and put under arrest pending investigations.
Moyale city, located in Ethiopia's Oromia regional state along the border with Kenya, has been in a state of unrest since mid 2016.
Similar recent unrest and violent incidents have forced the Ethiopian government to impose a six-month martial law effective as of Feb. 16, saying it was to protect the country's constitution, citizens and their property from the dangers that would arise from the ongoing violent demonstrations in different parts of the country.
