The Moyale clashes were a series of
ethnic clashes between
Borana and
Garre
The Garre (also Gurreh, Karre, or Binukaaf, Somali: ''Reer Garre'', Arabic: بنو كاف, romanized: ''Banī kāf'') are a prominent Somali clan that traces its lineage back to Samaale, who is believed to have originated from the Arabian P ...
communities in July 2012 in the area of
Moyale
Moyale is a city situated on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya. In Ethiopia, it serves as the administrative centre for two Ethiopian woredas: Moyale of the Oromia Region and Moyale of the Somali Region. In Kenya, it is the largest tow ...
, 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 the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
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 awarenes ...
(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
{{coord missing, Kenya
2012 murders in Ethiopia
2012 murders in Kenya
Ethnic conflicts
Ethiopia–Kenya border
2012 in international relations
Conflicts in 2012
Riots and civil disorder in Ethiopia
Social history of Kenya
Arson in Ethiopia
Arson in Kenya
Attacks on buildings and structures in 2012
Attacks on buildings and structures in Ethiopia
Attacks on buildings and structures in Kenya
Arson in 2012
2010s fires in Africa
Mass murder in 2012
21st-century mass murder in Ethiopia
21st-century mass murder in Kenya
July 2012 crimes in Africa
July 2012 in Africa
July 2012 in Ethiopia