The face of drought: Somalia is currently experiencing severe drought. Photo/FILE|AFRICA REVIEW |
By ABDULKADIR KHALIF in Mogadishu (email the author)
Posted Thursday, March 17 2011 at 17:58
Posted Thursday, March 17 2011 at 17:58
Four children have reportedly died of starvation at Wanlaweyn district, 110 km southwest of Somalia capital Mogadishu.
Residents of the town have appealed for help to avert a catastrophe blamed on a pro-longed drought.
A community elder told journalists that their only water well was no longer in use after developing a pump problem.
He added that only a few people could afford to buy water from tankers at the cost of $3 per 200 litre barrel.
Somalia has been experiencing drought for a long period and the condition has been exacerbated by restrictions on the operations of the aid agencies by al-Shabaab, the radical Islamist group opposing the Transitional Federal Government.
Persistent intimidation
In January, various leaders and international organisations called upon the group to allow humanitarian items to be delivered to people within the territory it controls.
The plea was ignored as the militia group urged the residents of the drought-stricken Somali region to endure without the help of aid agencies.
Most of the agencies stopped their services in Somalia following persistent intimidation, kidnappings and deaths caused by al-Shabaab members.
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