Conflict and insecurity forced 320,000 people in Somalia to flee their homes last year - a surge of almost 60 percent on the previous year, a leading aid agency said, warning of a humanitarian catastrophe if the trend continued. In 2016, 175,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to conflict, the data showed. This rose by 16 percent to over 200,000 displaced people hit by violence in 2017. The United Nations says it needs over $1 billion to support the humanitarian needs of people in Somalia in 2019 - but it has only managed to raise 6 percent of the amount required.
"The conflict is getting worse for civilians, making thousands more homeless. If this worrying trend continues, it could lead to catastrophe," said Evelyn Aero, regional advisor for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). "They're vulnerable to malaria, evictions, insecurity and gender-based violence. Young children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition and disease. They urgently need more aid to survive," added Aero.
"The root causes remain complex, but conflict-driven displacement and continued armed conflict, violence, and insecurity inside Somalia remain the major concern," said Dana Hughes, spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) in East Africa.
No comments:
Post a Comment