ADDIS ABABA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The number of people arriving in Ethiopia due to the ongoing situation in Sudan has surpassed 18,000, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has said.
"People arriving from Sudan to Ethiopia via the Metema border town have now reached more than 18,000," the UNOCHA said in its latest situation update issued Thursday, adding that over 440 people to date have entered Ethiopia via the Kurmuk border crossing point in Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz Region.
According to the agency, new arrivals have been reported at the Pagak/Bubieyr border crossing in Ethiopia's Gambella region for the first time since the conflict began in Sudan.
UNOCHA figures showed that the arrivals are from 60 nationalities, and the largest group are Ethiopians, Sudanese and Turkish.
The UNOCHA earlier announced that shelter and reception areas are under construction for those who need relocation, and further medical support would be provided.
Sudan has witnessed deadly armed clashes between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the capital city of Khartoum and other areas since April 15, with the two sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict. ■