Reports of violence and abductions among Eritrean refugees in the Tigray region of Ethiopia would be a major breach of international norms if confirmed, the UN said on Sunday.
Aid groups have not been able to enter the area freely, making it difficult to verify the claims.
"We have heard reports, that are not confirmed, of violence and abductions. I hope these are not true because they would be major violations of international norms and standards in the treatment of refugees and there's very little we can do without having access," UN high refugee commissioner Filippo Grandi said from Khartoum.
“So my strong appeal to the prime minister of Ethiopia is for the situation to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”
Mr Grandi said he hoped humanitarian groups would be allowed into Tigray "in the next few days".
Ethiopia hosts about 100,000 Eritrean refugees and has done so “in a very generous way”, the UN said.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said refugees who initially fled the conflict in Tigray and entered Sudan had returned to Tigray, including a minority of ethnic Eritreans.
The returning refugees crossed into Ethiopia to help more family members return with them into Sudan, or to bring back more belongings, MSF said.
"Some are going back to sell their assets and return to Sudan with money. A small number of the people arriving are originally from Eritrea and they were previously displaced into Ethiopia, before now fleeing again to Sudan."
Armed individuals are also crossing into Sudan. They are being told to hand their weapons over and are separated from the refugee camps to keep these places "civilian in character", Mr Grandi said.
About 44,000 people have fled from Ethiopia into Sudan and the numbers increase every day.
The UN made an appeal to donors for $147 million to provide humanitarian aid for the refugees.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
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History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
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The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
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Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
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Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
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The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Rashmee Roshan Lall: Sound of silence in South Asia
