The Moyale clashes were a series of ethnic clashes between Borana and

Garre The Garre (also Gurreh, Karre, "Binukaaf") ( Somali: ''Reer Garre'', Arabic: بنو كاف, romanized: ''Banī kāf'' ) is a major Somali clan whose origins trace back to Samaale who traces the lineage from the Arabian Peninsula through Aqiil ...

communities in July 2012 in the area of

Moyale Moyale is a market town on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya, and is the administrative centre for two Ethiopian Districts of Ethiopia, woredas, Moyale, Oromia (woreda), Moyale of Oromia, Oromia Region and Moyale, Somali (woreda), Moyale of ...

, Ethiopia, on the border with Kenya. The fighting appeared to be caused by a long-standing dispute over land possession, exacerbated by recent drought conditions. Clashes began around 25 July and continued for the next three days. Armed militias reportedly took positions in villages, at which point the fighting spread into Moyale itself. Businesses were shut in Moyale on both sides of the border, and homes in the villages of Chamuki and Shawabarre were reported to have been burnt. On 28 July, the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

reported that at least twenty people had been killed in the fighting. On 28 July, the

Kenya Red Cross Society The Kenya Red Cross is one of the many International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement societies around the world. The Kenya organisation was established in 1965, The Kenya Red Cross supports and runs a number of projects whilst raising awaren ...

(KRCS) announced that more than 20,000 people had fled into Kenya to escape the fighting. Because of lack of shelter on the Kenyan side of the border, many were sleeping in the open or under tarpaulins provided by the organization. On 30 July, the Ethiopian government stated that the police had made arrests and the situation was "under control". However, as of that date, the displaced people remained on the Kenyan side of the border, causing the KRCS to issue an urgent plea for humanitarian assistance.

References

{{Reflist 2012 in Ethiopia 2012 in Kenya Ethnic conflict