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Somalia fleeing to Kenya in large numbers | Somalia fleeing to Kenya in large numbers |
(about 6 hours later) | |
War and drought in Somalia are leading an unprecedented number of people to flee across the border into Kenya, an aid agency says. | War and drought in Somalia are leading an unprecedented number of people to flee across the border into Kenya, an aid agency says. |
Save the Children is reporting that every day, about 1,300 people - at least 800 of them children - are arriving at the Dadaab refugee camp. | Save the Children is reporting that every day, about 1,300 people - at least 800 of them children - are arriving at the Dadaab refugee camp. |
The monthly number of new arrivals has more than doubled in a year, it says. | The monthly number of new arrivals has more than doubled in a year, it says. |
Aid workers at the camp say the children are exhausted, malnourished and severely dehydrated. | Aid workers at the camp say the children are exhausted, malnourished and severely dehydrated. |
The situation in Somalia is exacerbated by the conflict between Islamists of al-Shabab and Somalia's transitional government, backed by African Union peacekeepers. | The situation in Somalia is exacerbated by the conflict between Islamists of al-Shabab and Somalia's transitional government, backed by African Union peacekeepers. |
The United Nations refugee agency says there are 117,497 Somalis who have also crossed into Ethiopia - 31,000 in the past five months fleeing from drought and conflict. | The United Nations refugee agency says there are 117,497 Somalis who have also crossed into Ethiopia - 31,000 in the past five months fleeing from drought and conflict. |
Children left behind | Children left behind |
Save the Children says some families are walking for more than a month to reach the camp in Kenya. | Save the Children says some families are walking for more than a month to reach the camp in Kenya. |
The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 2.5 m Somalis are currently affected by drought, with 58% living in the South of the country. | The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 2.5 m Somalis are currently affected by drought, with 58% living in the South of the country. |
But as many as a million have been beyond the reach of the WFP since January 2010, says WFP's Peter Smerdon in Nairobi. | But as many as a million have been beyond the reach of the WFP since January 2010, says WFP's Peter Smerdon in Nairobi. |
"We are not working in areas of the South controlled by al-Shabab after our teams were threatened, intimidated and there were demands for payment," Mr Smerdon told the BBC. | "We are not working in areas of the South controlled by al-Shabab after our teams were threatened, intimidated and there were demands for payment," Mr Smerdon told the BBC. |
The conflict in Somalia forces many to head for the Kenyan border but a severe drought and the unaffordable cost of food has made the situation worse. | The conflict in Somalia forces many to head for the Kenyan border but a severe drought and the unaffordable cost of food has made the situation worse. |
Made up of three settlements, Dadaab is often referred to as the largest refugee camp in the world. | Made up of three settlements, Dadaab is often referred to as the largest refugee camp in the world. |
"A mother arrived at one of our feeding centres saying she'd actually left her children behind in a village because she couldn't watch them die," Sonia Zambakides, Save the Children's Emergency Manager for Somalia, told the BBC's World Today. | "A mother arrived at one of our feeding centres saying she'd actually left her children behind in a village because she couldn't watch them die," Sonia Zambakides, Save the Children's Emergency Manager for Somalia, told the BBC's World Today. |
"She had walked away and left her six children in a house. | "She had walked away and left her six children in a house. |
"Two of them ended up dying and we managed to reach four others. | "Two of them ended up dying and we managed to reach four others. |
"Children are arriving into Dadaab barefoot, after walking six weeks," Ms Zambakides said. | "Children are arriving into Dadaab barefoot, after walking six weeks," Ms Zambakides said. |
"They're covered in sores and wounds, they're acutely malnourished, they're completely dehydrated and that is preferable to the conditions they are living in in south-central Somalia." | "They're covered in sores and wounds, they're acutely malnourished, they're completely dehydrated and that is preferable to the conditions they are living in in south-central Somalia." |
The conflict in Somalia forces many to head for the Kenyan border but a severe drought and the unaffordable cost of food has made the situation worse. | The conflict in Somalia forces many to head for the Kenyan border but a severe drought and the unaffordable cost of food has made the situation worse. |
Dadaab is home to well over 350,000 people, but was built to hold just 90,000 and is severely overcrowded. | Dadaab is home to well over 350,000 people, but was built to hold just 90,000 and is severely overcrowded. |
The humanitarian agency Medecins Sans Frontieres says many of the new arrivals are in desperate need of healthcare. | The humanitarian agency Medecins Sans Frontieres says many of the new arrivals are in desperate need of healthcare. |
It says almost half of the children arriving there have never had a vaccination. | It says almost half of the children arriving there have never had a vaccination. |
With the Somali conflict continuing and several more months of drought expected, conditions in the already overcrowded refugee camp are likely to get even worse. | With the Somali conflict continuing and several more months of drought expected, conditions in the already overcrowded refugee camp are likely to get even worse. |
Efforts to decongest the camp and relocate the refugees have so far made little difference. | Efforts to decongest the camp and relocate the refugees have so far made little difference. |
But the drought is now being felt across a vast region of the Horn of Africa, with areas of northern Kenya and Ethiopia also affected. | But the drought is now being felt across a vast region of the Horn of Africa, with areas of northern Kenya and Ethiopia also affected. |