Thousands of people have fled Ethiopia’s Somali region following deadly clashes in recent days between ethnic Somalis and Oromos. The BBC’s Kalkidan Yibeltal looks at the cause of the conflict and whether it can be stopped.

Dozens of people are reported to have died in clashes across Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regions in recent days.

According to Adisu Arega, Oromia government’s spokesperson, 18 people have been killed.

Twelve of those victims are ethnic Somalis, Mr Adisu told the BBC.

The figures are however disputed by the Somali regional government, which says that more than 30 ethnic Somalis have been killed in the Oromia town of Awaday.

The clashes have displaced at least 30,000 people, some of whom have taken refuge in makeshift camps at a stadium in the eastern city of Harar, whilst others are camping at police stations.

Local administrators have now asked aid agencies operating in the area to provide humanitarian assistance.

How serious is the trouble?

Following intense anti-government protests that plagued the Horn of Africa country during most of 2016, the government imposed a 10-month state of emergency, which was lifted in July.

While this heightened state of alert calmed most of the restive areas in the Oromia region, it did not stop cross-border clashes in the Oromia and Somali areas.

In February and March, hundreds were reported to have been killed in the southern Oromia district of Negele Borena after an incursion by a paramilitary force called the Liyu Police, which is backed by the Somali region.

Ethnic Oromos allege that the Liyu Police, which has previously been accused by rights groups of human rights violations, of being behind the current attacks.

The Somali regional government has however rejected the allegations and charged that senior officials in the Oromia government were sympathisers of the Oromo Liberation Front, which is categorised as a terrorist organisation by the Ethiopian government.

While conflicts have been common between the two bordering communities, the public finger-pointing by top regional officials is unprecedented and could exacerbate the current conflict.

“We don’t believe this is expected from a responsible senior government official,” Communication Minister Negeri Lencho told the BBC.

Ethiopia’s political arrangement – federalism structured along ethno-linguistic lines – dictates that ethnic borders are also usually political ones.

Critics argue that this structure is a tinder box that allows minor conflicts to escalate.

What is behind the conflict?

Oromia and Somali are, respectively, the two largest regions in the country by area size, sharing a border of more than 1,400 km (870 miles).

While Somalis are mostly pastoralists, living from their animals, Oromos tend to be farmers, as well as pastoralists.

Both communities inhabit the areas around the regional border.

Historically, their relationship has been characterised by territorial competition which often leads to disputes and conflicts over resources, including wells and grazing land.

These conflicts can cause the displacement of tens of thousands of people.

In 2004, a referendum to decide on the fate of more than 420 kebeles – the country’s smallest administrative unit – gave 80% of them to Oromia.

Following the outcome, tens of thousands of ethnic Somalis reportedly fled the areas for fear of repercussions.

The decision has still not been implemented and this is one factor behind the current conflict.

Will the clashes spread further?

Since the two communities are largely pastoralist and cross borders in search for pasture for their animals, it is difficult to clearly demarcate their boundaries.

Additionally, clashes that occur between the two communities can easily spread to neighbouring regions and countries because of shared ethnic ties.

The recent conflict has reportedly inspired the killing of two Ethiopians of Oromo origin in Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared republic of Somaliland.

People are reportedly trying to escape the violence by fleeing to the Kenyan town of Moyale, which also has a history of Oromo-Somali conflict.

Ethiopia’s communication minister told the BBC that the military and federal police forces had intervened to control the clashes.

But it is not clear whether this will be enough to prevent the conflict from spreading.

This story is auto-generated from ‘BBC News’ syndicated feed and has not been edited by Africa Prime News staff.

By Auwal Mohammad, Gombe

Nigeria’s Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative (PCNI) has commenced distribution of food items to the 83 internally displaced persons in Gombe state with advise to beneficiaries to take the situation as an act of God and draw nearer to Him.

The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Danlami Rukujei while presenting the items to the IDPs resident at Gona Community, in Akko local government area of the state urged beneficiaries not to sell the items, adding that about 1,000 persons would be benefitting from the items.

“Hopefully by Monday, the exercise will continue with people from Tumu/Pindiga axis until the materials we have is exhausted,” said the SEMA Executive Secretary.

The items distributed include 25kg bags of rice, millet, beans, sugar, vegetable oil, wax print, plates, mats, blankets, buckets, babies’ toiletries, and cartons of noodles.

Similarly the State Emergency Management Agency has distributed additional relief materials comprising food items and building materials to victims of recent floods and communal clashes that affected communities in Billiri Local Government Area.

Rukujei handed over items to the paramount ruler in the area, the Mai Tangale, Abdu Buba Maisharu II, for onward distribution to 15 households affected by communal clash in Kufai – Billiri LGA.

The brief ceremony took place on Friday at the palace of the traditional ruler.

He explained that the food items came from the state government while the building material was supplied by the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative (PCNI).

By Amos Tauna

Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) has warned Muslim youths and other Northerners against reprisal over the incident in Abia State, but to exercise restrain for the overall peaceful coexistence of the country.

JNI Secretary General, Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria on Friday called on Juma’at Mosque Imams across the country, particularly in the North, to preach peace in their Friday sermon and understanding among Nigerians.

Aliyu who raised the issue while briefing newsmen, urged Southeast leaders to equally call on members of IPOB to preach peace, unity and understanding among Nigerians to stop attacking innocent people in their region.

He also urged security agents to ensure they arrest and bring the perpetrators of the attacks on Northerners to face the wrath of the law.

“Nigerians need to take lessons from crisis happenings in other countries of the world. Violence will never be a solution to any crisis. It’s also needless for any Nigeria to feel he is more Nigerian than other Nigerians.

“We must learn to live together in peace and harmony because we are bound by the Constitution of this country. JNI urged all juma’at Imams to preach peace in their sermons by calling for peace and to urge people not to retaliate, ” he said.

The JNI also described the attacks on Northerners in Abia state as pathetic, urging government and security agencies to restore peace in the state.

He also urged media practitioners to desist from reporting hate speech and biased reports capable of inciting people.