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Addis Ababa, Dec 10 (IANS) The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the world body and its partners have continued to deliver aid in northern Ethiopia despite challenges as tens of thousands of people remain displaced and relief supplies are restricted.
The OCHA reported large-scale violence-triggered displacements in the Tigray region spilling into Amhara to the south and Afar to the east, in some cases even between the two areas, reports Xinhua news agency.
The Office said that tens of thousands of people were forced from Shewa Robit Town in Amhara to the neighbouring Afar region.
Several thousands left Woldiya and Lalibela towns in Amhara and an estimated tens of thousands of people fled the West Tigray zone into the northwest.
In the first seven days of December, 44 truckloads of food, nutrition, water and sanitation supplies reached Mekelle, Tigray's regional capital, through the Afar corridor, OCHA said.
The number of relief trucks compared to the 157 trucks a week earlier remains far short of the 100 trucks a day required to meet the needs in Tigray.
The Office said fuel has not been allowed into Tigray via the Afar route since August 2. Medicine and medical equipment also were blocked, with few exceptions. Some essential medicines were allowed on an October 6 European Commission humanitarian flight.
Between July and September, limited emergency kits went through the Afar corridor.
Despite reduced capacity, humanitarian partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance and critical services across Tigray, OCHA said.
Between November 25 and December 1, about 43,000 people received food aid in Tigray under the current food distribution round, including more than 10,000 newly displaced people.
The OCHA said insecurity and other challenges constrained operations in Amhara.
A recent assessment mission to Dessie and Kombolcha witnessed the looting of public services, including health facilities. Across Kombolcha town on Wednesday, significant food-supply looting was reported.
Since November 1 under the current round of food distribution in Amhara, more than 947,000 people were assisted, including more than 370,000 in the past week, OCHA said.
Partners resumed support to three hospitals and 19 health centres in Amhara, in addition to 26 mobile health and nutrition teams operating in the region.
In Afar in the last week, about 16,000 people received food assistance and more than 26,000 displaced people received water and sanitation support, the humanitarian office said.
--IANS
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