Refugees who had escaped the turmoil of Sudan's civil war and made their way to neighboring Ethiopia are facing new challenges as they are forced to flee once more due to ongoing attacks by gunmen. Their tents in the Kumer and Awlala refugee camps, established by the United Nations, now bear the scars of bullet holes after repeated assaults, driving approximately 8,000 people to abandon the camps for the safety of a forest and roadsides. The violence that they are currently experiencing comes on the heels of the conflict they had initially escaped, which erupted between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, resulting in severe hunger in parts of Sudan and allegations of ethnic cleansing in Darfur.

The refugees recount a harrowing journey where they first fled their homes in Sudan due to the civil war, only to face new dangers in Ethiopia's Amhara region. The attacks by gunmen, believed to be primarily bandits, have made living in the established camps untenable, pushing the refugees to seek alternative shelter in a forest and on roadsides. Despite their hopes for safety and stability in Ethiopia, ongoing violence and insecurity continue to disrupt their lives, leaving them vulnerable and in need of assistance from humanitarian organizations and international agencies to ensure their protection and well-being.