CAIRO, 24 February, 2021 (TON): In an attempt to escape the ethnic violence in western Ethiopia at least 7,000 people fled sought asylum in Sudan, the neighboring country on Tuesday.

Amid heightened tensions between the two Eastern African nations, the statement released by UNHCR on Tuesday.

Violence in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz region is separate from the deadly conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. That’s where Ethiopian and allied regional forces began fighting Tigray regional forces in early November.

The Tigray war sent more than 61,000 Ethiopians into Sudan’s provinces of Al-Qadarif and Kassala.

The UN agency said tensions escalated in the past three months in Metekel Zone, prompting Ethiopia’s government to declare a state of emergency in the area on 21 January.

Amharas are the second most populous ethnic group in Ethiopia and they have been targeted repeatedly over the last year.

It is likely to consider that it a major challenge to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as he tries to promote national unity in a country with more than 80 ethnic groups.