Somalia / UNHCR Update
MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 27, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Daily press briefing by the offices of the spokesperson for the UN secretary-general and the spokesperson for the general assembly president.
On Somalia, UNHCR says that the latest escalation in fighting in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, has now displaced more than 67,000 persons. Pro-Government forces recently launched an offensive in the capital to drive out Islamist militants opposed to the Transitional Federal Government.
Many of the displaced have travelled to overcrowded makeshift camps. Those unable to make the journey have sought refuge closer to the city, in areas not affected by the fighting. And the number of those Somalis fleeing into neighbouring countries also continues to rise.
The worsening security situation has also reduced the delivery of relief supplies to the affected population. Local agencies that have been assisting the internally displaced persons continue to face growing security problems.
SOURCE
United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General
