Over 6,000 people enter Ethiopia from violence-hit Sudan

ADDIS ABABA (Ethiopia): More than 6,000 people have entered Ethiopia from the violent fighting in neighbouring Sudan, according to local officials.

In a statement, the West Gondar zone communication office in Ethiopia's northern region of Amhara said the fleeing people are from 42 different countries, including 941 Ethiopian nationals who were previously living in Sudan, reports Xinhua news agency.

The statement said the number of fleeing people the zone currently has is only up to April 29, with plans already underway to designate a specific refugees' accommodation site if the crisis continues to expand.

The statement also said local officials are working together with the International Organization for Migration and the Ethiopian Red Cross Society to help with the health, transportation, nutritional, and water needs of the refugees.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 334,000 people have been displaced inside Sudan since the conflict erupted more than two weeks ago.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that more than 100,000 refugees have fled to neighbouring countries.

Most are Sudanese refugees arriving in Chad and Egypt and refugees from South Sudan returning to their homes, the UNHCR said.

The refugees are mainly women and children.

Brutal fighting erupted in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on April 15 and swiftly escalated in different parts of the country.

The ongoing fighting is between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Both sides have accused each other of initiating the conflict.

The deadly clashes have so far killed 550 people and injured 4,926 others, according to the latest figures released by Sudan's Ministry of Health.