Civilians continued to be caught in the crossfire of the conflict between Ethiopian/TFG forces and anti-government elements.  About 130 civilians were admitted to the two main hospitals in Mogadishu over the weekend and Monday with weapons-related injuries, adding to the more than 3,400 war-wounded in Mogadishu since January. The fighting was widely condemned in public statements and an appeal to protect civilians and allow the delivery of aid was issued jointly by 40 international and local, NGOs working in Somalia.  In an open letter, the acting Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) for Somalia reiterated the need for stakeholders in Somalia to work together to ensure life saving aid reaches those in need.

Following Prime Minister (PM) Ali Gedi’s resignation on 29 October, the checkpoints that had been erected in Baidoa due to insecurity following a suicide bomb attack on the PM earlier this month were disbanded and the town was reportedly calm. 

Several cases of insecurity were reported in the Shabelle regions.  In Merka (Lower Shabelle), 110km south of Mogadishu, on 27 October local militia attacked a police station killing four policemen, injuring seven militia as well as six civilians.  On 26 October, a senior police officer from Afgooye was killed by unknown gunmen in a village near the town and on 28 October, more clan clashes were reported in El Muluq (Middle Shabelle) with two civilians reportedly killed.  There appears to be growing tension among residents and more clashes may occur in the coming days.

An initial rapid assessment on displacement around Sool region, the scene of recent fighting between Somaliland and Puntland forces revealed that an estimated 9,000 families have fled their homes.  The assessment was done last week by the Puntland Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Agency (HADMA) in collaboration with the UN and international NGOs.  Further technical assessments will be conducted by among others, Food Security Assessment Unit (FSAU) to determine the needs of the displaced.

On a positive note, rainfall received during the week in some parts of southern Somalia has begun reviving pastures, replenishing drinking water supplies and providing moisture for crops. According to Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net) Weather Hazards Impacts Assessment for Africa, rainfall is expected to continue in the area next week. Reports from Bay and Bakool regions indicate that water availability for livestock and farming activities has improved. 

Returns and Displacements

UNHCR and the Population Monitoring Tracking (PMT) network reported that the 90,000 people displaced from and in Mogadishu came largely from the four districts of Hodan, Hawl Wadaaq, Wardhiigley and Haliwaa.   Some 17,000 had moved to relatively safer areas within the city while 56,000 went to Lower Shabelle, including the 46,000 to Afgooye.  An additional 8,000 people went to Middle Shabelle and some 5,600 to Baidoa (Bay).  

There are now roughly 450,000 people displaced by fighting this year, bringing the total number of displaced persons in Somalia to more than 850,000 including about 400,000 long-term IDPs displaced since the war in the 1990s. 

Access and Response

Humanitarian agencies have been working in the Afgooye area, trying to respond to the needs of nearly 100,000 people who have fled to the area in the past four months.  The new influx, an increase of nearly 50%, will test already strained capacity to respond. While there is some response on the ground and agencies are upscaling emergency activities, the current capacity is not nearly commensurate to the needs of this huge humanitarian crisis.

The most urgent needs of the new arrivals are water and as shelter. While NFIs have already been distributed to 78,000 people, and more are expected in the coming days, the rainy season has just begun and most recent arrivals have no protection from the rain.  The potential for an outbreak of cholera, which is endemic in the country, is severe given the numbers of displaced, lack of sanitation and the rain. UNICEF has pre-positioned 54 Cholera Kits (each kit can treat between 5,000 – 10,000 people) to serve up to half a million people, and 1.5 million sachets of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) for the treatment of diarrhea in case of an outbreak.

WFP managed to complete a food distribution of one-month's rations for about 110,000 people. The distribution had been previously planned and did not target the new arrivals, but food is being shared.  Also in Mogadishu, 10 'wet feeding' centres - distributing prepared meals instead of rations – are being set up through NGOs with WFP and OCHA support, which when fully operational, will be able to serve 50,000 meals a day to displaced, urban poor and those trapped in Mogadishu.

Water trucking is ongoing but requires a massive scale up to cover the increased numbers of displaced. There is a significant gap in hygiene as there are not enough latrines, or capacity to set up new ones, Some NGOs have already started increased emergency water trucking with the expectation of HRF support. Health posts have received additional medical supplies from NGO partners and UN agencies and mobile clinics are operating in the area.

Meanwhile, UNICEF is supporting emergency education for some 8,500 displaced children aged 6 – 13 through the provision of 56 school tents in Middle Shabelle, Hiran, Galgaduud, Gedo, Bay & Bakool regions, the Jubas.  About 50 additional school tents will serve approximately 5,000 children living in settlements for the internally displaced in Afgoye/Mogadishu.

The main constraints are not primarily related to a lack of funding (funds from the Humanitarian Response Fund can be made available to NGOs with the capacity to implant water, sanitation and other emergency response), but security and other administrative harassments restricting access.

Heavy rains were reported in most of the Southern regions through out the week; however, most of the roads in the region remain accessible apart from the road from Buale (Middle Juba) to Wajid (Bay) which is difficult to access due to muddy conditions.

For Further Information, contact: Rita Maingi on +254 734 800 120 – [email protected]