Ethiopia: Renewed violence in districts bordering Oromia and Somali regions (As of 1 October 2025)

Overview

The Somali and Oromia zonal authorities have reported to humanitarian assessment teams that over 288,000 people have been displaced since July 2025, following renewed inter-communal violence between Oromo and Somali communities, disrupting a relative calm that held since 2018. The conflict is rooted in ethnic tensions, unresolved territorial disputes dating back to a 2004 referendum, and occasional competition over scarce resources. Since 2017, clashes have caused mass displacements, with over one million people displaced by mid-2018, many still in protracted displacement. Tensions and clashes escalated again in mid-July 2025, leading to widespread displacement, fatalities, and infrastructure damage, according to inter-agency multi-sector initial rapid assessments. Some communities remain armed, and movement is restricted, particularly across the two regions. Ethiopian National Defense Forces were deployed along the regional border to stabilize the area, but sporadic violence and displacement continue, keeping the situation volatile.

MIRA assessments were conducted in both regions in late August, followed by a joint interagency assessment mission to the affected districts from 16 to 21 September.

The missions found that displaced pastoralist households are sheltering mainly in desert and forest areas, with a few located near host communities and in school buildings. Local government sources report 81 spontaneous informal sites across both regions (17 sites in Oromia Region and 64 sites in Somali Region). These settlements consist of makeshift shelters constructed from plastic sheets, women’s clothing and sticks, providing minimal protection against harsh weather conditions. They lack proper infrastructure and essential services. Some households still rely on plastic tarpaulins provided by the UN and partners during the 2022 drought.

Women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities face compounded vulnerabilities due to inadequate shelter, lack of privacy, and insufficient protection services. Protection risks are widespread, including fear of retaliation, gender-based violence, psychological trauma, lack of documentation, and ongoing insecurity. Community leaders emphasize that displaced populations continue to coexist peacefully and express a strong desire to live together. They were not directly involved in the conflict. However, they need safety guarantees before returning to their areas of origin.

In addition to recurrent conflict, the communities have long suffered from prolonged drought, which has impacted water sources, led to the loss of farmland and livestock, and eroded livelihoods, with limited opportunities for recovery. Most of the displaced population was already food insecure. There are no functional stabilization centers in most of the affected areas to treat the high prevalence of malnutrition. Water scarcity, coupled with low immunization coverage, limited access to health services, and lack of sanitation in IDP sites, has significantly increased the risk of communicable disease outbreaks. All school-aged children in assessed locations are out of school due to damaged infrastructure, the displacement of teachers, and the use of schools as IDP shelters.