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Our Monthly Update
In response to the ongoing insecurity in the Amhara region, UNHCR and the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), in collaboration with partners, have begun relocating refugees from Awlala and Kumer to the newly established Aftit site, which is considered to be a safer place.
By the end of July, 2,782 refugees had been relocated to Aftit, where basic services including shelters, food, water, sanitation, and health care have been established. Among those relocated are 400 refugees who had fled the Kumer site due to insecurity and were sheltering near a police station.
Despite these efforts, insecurity remains a significant concern. On 17 July, a coordinated attack on the Federal Police post in Kumer settlement resulted in the tragic deaths of approximately ten police officers, several injuries, and an unconfirmed number of abductions. A refugee child was also injured. Further violence occurred on 20 July, with an attack on refugees camping by the highway, leading to two deaths and nine injuries, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced protection measures.
UNHCR is working to provide the safest possible conditions under these circumstances by relocating refugees to Aftit and continues to advocate with the Ethiopian government for the eventual relocation of refugees to safer regions.