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| Somalia fighting prompts warning | Somalia fighting prompts warning |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Forty humanitarian agencies have warned of an impending catastrophe in Somalia unless urgent action is taken. | Forty humanitarian agencies have warned of an impending catastrophe in Somalia unless urgent action is taken. |
| They say 20,000 people continue to flee violence in the capital every month. | They say 20,000 people continue to flee violence in the capital every month. |
| The warning comes ahead of a UN Security Council meeting to consider sending 27,000 peacekeepers to Somalia to replace the stretched African force. | |
| Correspondents say there are increasing attacks outside the capital, with Islamists raiding Jowhar town on Wednesday morning to release prisoners. | |
| Residents told the BBC that hundreds of fighters, belonging to the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), briefly held the town, about 90km (55 miles) north of the capital, Mogadishu, before pulling out after freeing the prisoners. | Residents told the BBC that hundreds of fighters, belonging to the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), briefly held the town, about 90km (55 miles) north of the capital, Mogadishu, before pulling out after freeing the prisoners. |
| LIFE IN SOMALIA 2m rely on daily aidMore than 1m internally displaced20,000 flee Mogadishu each monthAverage monthly family income of those left in Mogadishu: $12.13Life expectancy: 47Problems: Fighting, high food prices, hyperinflation, drought Security nightmare | LIFE IN SOMALIA 2m rely on daily aidMore than 1m internally displaced20,000 flee Mogadishu each monthAverage monthly family income of those left in Mogadishu: $12.13Life expectancy: 47Problems: Fighting, high food prices, hyperinflation, drought Security nightmare |
| The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says five soldiers and two civilians were killed in the clashes. | The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says five soldiers and two civilians were killed in the clashes. |
| Ethiopia intervened to help Somalia's interim government to oust the UIC from power in December 2006. | Ethiopia intervened to help Somalia's interim government to oust the UIC from power in December 2006. |
| The agencies say two million Somalis need daily help to survive the crisis caused by continued fighting between insurgents and the government. | The agencies say two million Somalis need daily help to survive the crisis caused by continued fighting between insurgents and the government. |
| Somalia's ambassador to the UN said his government lacked enough international support and called for the partial lifting of the arms embargo | Somalia's ambassador to the UN said his government lacked enough international support and called for the partial lifting of the arms embargo |
| "It is ironic when the UN puts an arms embargo on a country which cannot secure its borders then anybody can import or export whatever they like and that's what was happening for 17 years," Elmi Ahmed Dualeh told the BBC. | "It is ironic when the UN puts an arms embargo on a country which cannot secure its borders then anybody can import or export whatever they like and that's what was happening for 17 years," Elmi Ahmed Dualeh told the BBC. |
| "Now the government is weak. It is weak because it never had support." | "Now the government is weak. It is weak because it never had support." |
| 'Grim future' | 'Grim future' |
| In a joint statement, the 40 local and international aid agencies point out that in October last year they warned Somalia was heading towards crisis. | In a joint statement, the 40 local and international aid agencies point out that in October last year they warned Somalia was heading towards crisis. |
| For too long, the needs of ordinary Somalis have been forgotten Aid agencies' joint statement In pictures: Return to Somalia | For too long, the needs of ordinary Somalis have been forgotten Aid agencies' joint statement In pictures: Return to Somalia |
| Six months on, they say, the situation in the country has deteriorated dramatically and access to those in need has got far worse. | Six months on, they say, the situation in the country has deteriorated dramatically and access to those in need has got far worse. |
| "It continues to deteriorate by the day," the UN refugee agency's Guillermo Bettocchi told the BBC. | "It continues to deteriorate by the day," the UN refugee agency's Guillermo Bettocchi told the BBC. |
| "There are no signs of improvement on the ground, and those who are suffering the brunt of the conflict are the civilians, who are being either killed or displaced, and are in the middle of suffering that is unacceptable," he said. | "There are no signs of improvement on the ground, and those who are suffering the brunt of the conflict are the civilians, who are being either killed or displaced, and are in the middle of suffering that is unacceptable," he said. |
| "In terms of child malnutrition, access to education, lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities, indeed the situation in Somalia is the worst in the world... to be a child in Somalia today is something that means lots of suffering and a grim future." | "In terms of child malnutrition, access to education, lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities, indeed the situation in Somalia is the worst in the world... to be a child in Somalia today is something that means lots of suffering and a grim future." |
| Record food prices, hyper-inflation and drought in many parts of the country have made the situation worse and seasonal rains due to start soon are also predicted to fail. | Record food prices, hyper-inflation and drought in many parts of the country have made the situation worse and seasonal rains due to start soon are also predicted to fail. |
| "For too long, the needs of ordinary Somalis have been forgotten," the agencies said. | "For too long, the needs of ordinary Somalis have been forgotten," the agencies said. |
| About 2,400 African Union peacekeepers have deployed so far | About 2,400 African Union peacekeepers have deployed so far |
| They urged "the international community and all parties to the conflict to urgently focus their attention on the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Somalia". | They urged "the international community and all parties to the conflict to urgently focus their attention on the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Somalia". |
| "They must ensure access for humanitarian supplies, live up to their responsibility to protect civilians and address the environment of impunity," they added. | "They must ensure access for humanitarian supplies, live up to their responsibility to protect civilians and address the environment of impunity," they added. |
| "The humanitarian crisis will become more and more complex and will continue to deepen in the absence of a political solution to the current crisis." | "The humanitarian crisis will become more and more complex and will continue to deepen in the absence of a political solution to the current crisis." |
| The UN Security Council will discuss the situation on Thursday. | The UN Security Council will discuss the situation on Thursday. |
| Last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon presented the council with a report proposing the deployment of 27,000 peacekeepers as one of four possible scenarios in which the UN could heighten its presence in the war-torn country. | Last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon presented the council with a report proposing the deployment of 27,000 peacekeepers as one of four possible scenarios in which the UN could heighten its presence in the war-torn country. |
| So far only 2,400 African Union peacekeepers have been sent to Somalia, of a planned 8,000-strong force. | So far only 2,400 African Union peacekeepers have been sent to Somalia, of a planned 8,000-strong force. |
| Are you in Somalia? What is the situation like? What do you think could have triggered the current crisis? Send us your experiences using the form below. | Are you in Somalia? What is the situation like? What do you think could have triggered the current crisis? Send us your experiences using the form below. |