About 5,000 Ethiopians have crossed into Kenya seeking refuge since March 10, the Kenyan Red Cross Society said, after several civilians were killed in what the Ethiopian military said was a botched security operation targeting militants. Ethiopian state media reported on Sunday that soldiers had been deployed to an area near the town of Moyale in Oromiya, a region that borders Kenya, in pursuit of Oromo Liberation Front fighters who had crossed into the country from Kenya. But faulty intelligence led soldiers to launch an attack that killed nine civilians and injured 12 others, the Ethiopian News Agency said. In a statement on Tuesday, the Kenyan Red Cross Society said“the population of refugees from Ethiopia continues to increase” and was now estimated at 5,000. Some of those fleeing had moved with their livestock, compounding pressure on struggling relief agencies, the Red Cross said.

Source: Ethiopian News March 13, 2018 20:37 UTC