The United Nations is planning some 200,000 refugees to arrive in Sudan, fleeing violence in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, as UN aid agencies call for a temporary truce to help create humanitarian corridors to help civilians after two weeks of fighting.

"We have built a response plan together with all the agencies for about 20,000 people," Axel Bisschop, representative of the United Nations refugee agency in Sudan, told a briefing in Geneva, as reported by the Reuters news agency.

According to the UN refugee agency, more than 33,000 people have already fled violence in the Tigray region and found shelter in neighboring Sudan. Over a six-month period, it could increase to 200,000.

Since Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared war on the leadership of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) after allegations of an alleged assault on Ethiopian soldiers, hundreds of people have already died in battle.

Since Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared war on the leadership of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) after allegations of an alleged assault on Ethiopian soldiers, hundreds of people have already died in battle.

The United Nations refugee agency is worried that thousands of Tigrayan refugees are likely to overwhelm Sudan, which is already facing significant economic and political challenges, as well as refugees fleeing other neighboring countries in Africa.

Babar Baloch, the spokesman for the UN refugee agency, called for the immediate implementation of a "temporary ceasefire" so that humanitarian corridors can be created. UN aid organizations are hoping to obtain $200 million in support to provide Ethiopian refugees with food and shelter.

Targeting Bahir Dar

An attack on the regional capital of Amhara announced on Friday raised concerns that fighting in the region of Tigray would spill over, sparking a far-reaching battle.

The illegal TPLF group invaded the city of Bahir Dar at 19:40 tonight [Thursday]. In a post shared on social media, there is no harm, said the Amhara government communications office.

Last week the TPLF attacked Asmara, the capital of neighboring Eritrea, firing rockets into the country's airport.

According to news from the Associated Press, Ethiopian forces hit a school in Mekelle, Tigray's regional capital, with an airstrike on Thursday, citing a university official.

The federal government of Ethiopia hopes to catch Mekelle and arrest the TPLF leadership.

A blackout of information makes it difficult to check the different claims of victories by Addis Ababa, as well as the reaction of Tigray forces, pushing back Ethiopian fighters.

The military operation has been identified as a "law enforcement operation" by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, but there are concerns about the possibility of civil war exacerbating ethnic divisions.