Somalia: New displacement and increasing humanitarian and protection concerns
| Publisher | Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC) |
| Publication Date | 20 February 2012 |
| Cite as | Norwegian Refugee Council/Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (NRC/IDMC), Somalia: New displacement and increasing humanitarian and protection concerns , 20 February 2012, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4f423a6f2.html [accessed 7 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the BBC, on 15 February Somali government forces and their African Union allies launched an offensive on Afgooye town near Mogadishu to flush out Al-Shabaab fighters. The town is home to the biggest concentration of IDPs in Somalia, with an estimated 400,000 people living in shanty dwellings. The shelling of the town forced IDPs who had sought refuge in Afgoye since 2007 to flee back to Mogadishu, fearing for their lives.
Fighting also reportedly broke out on 8 February in the north between forces of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland and clan militias loyal to the newly-created Khatumo State, which is on a disputed area between Somaliland and the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland. An estimated 6,000 people took refuge in nearby villages; the IDPs are in urgent need of shelter and food assistance.
Meanwhile, growing insecurity in South Galkayo in central Somalia has forced aid agencies to withdraw, with serious implications for an estimated 60,000 IDPs who are facing shortages of food, shelter and medical help. IDPs in camps in Somaliland are also facing growing threats to their safety and integrity, due to an increase in the number of rape cases and domestic violence incidents.
