Somali families face renewed violence amid worsening hunger crisis

A health facility has also been damaged, according to the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEFand other humanitarian agencies.

In recent weeks, clashes have occurred in Baidoa, the state’s largest city, between government forces and fighters loyal to the region’s former president, who was ousted in March.

The army is trying to maintain control of the city, which they captured earlier this year. Hostilities flared on Monday, according to news reports, after thousands of local fighters entered Baidoa that morning.

“Children once again bear the brunt of violence,” said the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, expressing deep concern over the escalation.

“UNICEF calls on all parties to protect children from harmensuring the protection of schools, and health facilities, and enabling safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.”

Humanitarian crisis for decades

This latest development comes amidst an already serious humanitarian crisis.

Somalia has experienced a decades-long food security crisis caused by repeated cycles of conflict, mass displacement, global trade disruptions, and extreme climate shocks such as severe droughts and floods.

In Somalia, two million children suffer from acute or severe malnutritionmaking Somalia one of the world’s biggest malnutrition crises, UN agencies say.

In Baidoa alone, 26,000 people are facing food insecurityhighest levels of hunger, thereby placing them at risk of starvation.

The El Niño weather pattern, which is stronger than before, is expected to deepen the crisis with the rainy season intensifying in October-December.

Overlapping crises

Families on the ground have been torn apart by these overlapping crises, says the UN World Food Program (WFP).

The Hawo family is one of them.

Sometimes we eat only once a day

First, a mortar hit their family home in Baidoa, killing his father. Then his brother died in the battle. She was forced to flee to Mogadishu with her daughter and now lives there with her aunt.

“Even with my aunt’s support, I’ve struggled, but sometimes it’s really badhe said. “Some days we only eat once a day.”

Her daughter, Farhiya, became lethargic, lost her appetite and lost weight.

A neighbor suggested she visit the Weido clinic, but the clinic turned away women and children due to lack of resources.

“I hope I can get the support I need so that my child can recover,” Hawo said, as aid workers feared things could get worse.

Help dry out

WFPwhich is the backbone of the overall food aid response in Somalia, is also increasingly under pressure in the face of massive cuts to humanitarian aid funding.

Since reaching more than four million people every month several years ago, its food aid has been able to reach that goal it supports just over 670,000 today.

“In 2022, as Somalia experiences its longest drought in 40 years, timely and generous funding is helping scale up aid to prevent famine,” explained Hameed Nuru, WFP Country Director in Somalia.

“Currently, a severe lack of funding means we are only able to reach a small fraction of those in needforcing us to make painful choices about who receives help and who does not,” he said.