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Somalia

Open Letter from the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia a.i. in response to the massive displacement of civilians from Mogadishu

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Extract

Over the past year, the Somali people have continuously been caught in the middle of the on-going conflict. I applaud the spirit of the people who have assisted each other in these times of crisis, but remaint roubled that even those with such resilience can only cope for so long. I am alarmed by the fighting during the past week in Mogadishu and the subsequent impact on the general population. This comes at a time when the country is facing one of the worst humanitarian situations in years.

The fighting in the capital this past weekend was the worst since April. Far too many people have been caught in the crossfire with over 100 people admitted to hospitals for weapons-related injuries in just two days, adding to the more than 3,400 war-wounded civilians since January. Entire districts have been emptied of inhabitants forcing people from their homes with little or no suppliesf or daily survival. Indiscriminate use of force by all parties, reports of house-to-house searches and large-scale detentions have created a climate of fear amongst the population not witnessed before.

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