DADAAB, Kenya (AP) — Famine in Somalia will soon expand to more areas as insecurity in the Horn of Africa country has prevented aid from reaching more than 2 million Somalis in need, the head of the World Food Program said Saturday.
The U.N. fears tens of thousands of people already have died in the famine, which has forced Somalis to walk for days in hopes of reaching refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. Mothers have been forced to leave behind their weak children to die during the long treks.
WFP executive director Josette Sheeran visited Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp where tens of thousands of hungry Somalis have fled in recent weeks. Sheeran met with hungry mothers and assured them the WFP would make it a priority to get nutrition to their kids. The aid agency, however, can't reach 60 percent of the 3.7 million Somalis in need because of the actions of the militants in Somalia, she said.
"We will be working hard to step up our activities inside Somalia when we have access," Sheeran said.
Kenya leaders told Sheeran they fear an expanding and permanent refugee population.
"It is the goal to allow people to remain at home. If they don't have food they won't remain at home," Sheeran said.
Earlier this week the U.N. top official in charge of humanitarian aid in Somalia said parts of Somalia are experiencing famine.
Mark Bowden said the southern Somali regions of Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions are suffering from famine. WFP estimates more than 11.3 million people need aid across drought-hit regions in East Africa.
The drought has created a triangle of hunger where the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia meet.
The majority of those affected live in pastoral communities whose herds have been wiped out because of a lack of water.
Abdi Kadir Mohammed, 33, a teacher in the town of Garissa where WFP has set up a food site, said that most of the nomadic community there had lost many animals which are their source of livelihood.
"The people around here depend on the animals. They don't have a bank account. They don't even know what one is," he said.
The U.N. refugee agency said in a report Saturday that some 13,000 tents need to be shipped to the Ethiopian refugee camp of Dollo Ado to provide emergency shelter for up to 65,000 people due to the high influx of Somali refugees.
The camp has a total nearly 114,500 Somali refugees.
Somalia has been mired by violence since 1991. Militants attempting to topple Somalia's weak U.N. backed government control most of southern and central Somalia.
Al-Shabab, the most dangerous militant group in the country, has said it will prevent international aid workers from operating in the country. The group had banned aid agencies in 2009, fearing the groups could host spies or promote an un-Islamic way of life.
Earlier this month, al-Shabab appeared to indicate it would soften its stance amid the hunger crisis. However on Thursday, spokesman Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage said aid agencies the group had previously banned are still barred from operating in areas under its control. He called the U.N.'s declaration of famine in parts of Somalia this week are politically motivated and "pure propaganda."
The renewed threat from al-Shabab means only a handful of agencies will be able to respond to the hunger crisis in militant-controlled areas of southern Somalia. And the largest provider of food aid – the U.N. World Food Program – isn't among those being allowed inside.
The Somali Prime Minister said Saturday that getting aid to those in need is a priority. He spoke after the Somali parliament overwhelmingly approved a new Cabinet.
"We shall first prioritize the humanitarian issue and how we would be able to receive aid for our people to save them," said Abdiweli Mohamed Ali.
Associated Press writer Abdi Guled contributed to this report from Mogadishu, Somalia.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.