OCHA Situation Report
Somalia
9 January 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Main Developments

Sporadic violence and unrest continues in Mogadishu and the city is said 
to be unpredictable. On 7 January, hundreds of residents of Mogadishu 
threw stones, burned tires and looted vehicles in response to the TFG 
plan to forcibly disarm the population and to the presence of Ethiopian 
troops. (The TFG subsequently postponed indefinitely its disarmament 
plan.) Clashes over the weekend between Ethiopian troops and armed 
militias reportedly resulted in 4 people killed and 7 injured. Civilians 
? including 3 children ? have been reported killed in various violent 
incidents in Mogadishu within the last few days. People are said to be 
restricting their movements in the city and, although schools have 
reopened, very few children are attending. Meanwhile, TFG PM Gedi set up 
a ten-member national security committee in Mogadishu on 7 January in an 
attempt to improve security in the capital.

There are reported fears of new displacement following the 8 January US 
air strike on Lower Juba. The strike targeted the area between Hosingo 
and Ras Komboni near the border with Kenya. Casualties have been 
reported though numbers are unconfirmed.

Clan fighting and revenge killings have been reported in Luuq, 
Belet-Hawa and Bardere (Gedo) and in Kismayo (Lower Juba). People are 
said to be buying arms and ammunitions in Kismayo, sparking fears that 
the situation may deteriorate further. Clashes between militia 
reportedly took place over the weekend in Jowhar (Middle Shabelle) and 
in Beletweyne (Hiran). In the latter, a protest also occurred on 7 
January after Ethiopian troops detained a Somali military commander who 
refused to hand over an Islamic militiaman. One civilian was reported 
killed when the protest turned violent.

Displacement

At least 4,700 IDPs (including the 420 that were deported by the Kenyan 
authorities from Liboi, Kenya last week) remain in and around Dhobley 
with no access to humanitarian assistance. The IDPs who left Dhobley 
itself ? many of whom claimed they were suffering harassment from 
Ethiopian troops ? went to four nearby villages: Taabta, Kokani, 
Shabtuq, and Laq Dhere. Local NGOs report that 3,000-4,000 of the total 
IDPs are unlikely to return to their place of origin because of fears on 
ongoing conflict (both localized clan and more widespread) or because 
their homes were completely destroyed by floods.

While the Kenyan-Somalia border remains sealed, field reports indicate 
that 1,000 Somalis have in recent days crossed the border into Kenya, 
stopping at Kiunga, a small coastal town in Lamu district. Another 500 
people are said to be at nearby Ras Kamboni, on the Somali side of the 
border, waiting to make the same journey.

New displacement has been reported in Mudug region, with 80 people 
originally from Jamame (Lower Juba) having now moved from Galkayo to 
Hargeisa (Somaliland) where they may have clan support. Fears of renewed 
fighting in the Galkayo area was the reason cited for moving.

Access and Response

Despite the fact that UN security assessments last week cleared six 
airstrips in Somalia for resumption of UN passengers and/or cargo 
flights, the unpredictable security situation has not permitted 
humanitarian or cargo flights to land in south/central Somalia for the 
last six days (with the exception of Wajid). Following security 
incidents last week involving NGO staff, aid agencies have not yet 
re-opened their offices in Mogadishu. It is anticipated that access to 
Galkayo will be possible as of 10 January, enabling the fielding of an 
inter-agency mission to Galkayo to boost implementation of the response 
to IDPs there.

The 4,700 IDPs in and around Dhobley remain in critical need of food, 
shelter, medicine and NFIs. However, the Kenyan government's recent 
closure of the border with Somalia has meant that humanitarian agencies 
have been unable to access these people by road via Kenya. Such access 
is crucial, given that security conditions in southern Somalia prevent 
assistance from reaching the IDPs from within the country. In an effort 
to resolve this issue, a joint UNGovernment of Kenya mission to the 
Liboi border crossing is planned for this week.

Further to reports last week of landmines having been detected near 
residential areas and IDP sites between Buale and Kismayo (the mines 
left by retreating militia), Somali NGO SEDHURO is attempting to gather 
information on any explosives in the area.

On 6-7 January, WFP distributed 240 mt of food to more than 11,600 
people in Garbahare (Gedo). In addition, a further 150 mt of food were 
distributed to 7,300 people in Buale (Middle Juba). Since the beginning 
of the flood emergency operation on 1 November, WFP has distributed 
nearly 8,400 mt of food. The total number of flood-affected persons 
assisted by WFP is now approximately 412,000.

For further information, contact:

Amanda di Lorenzo +254 (0)734 210 102 or
  Molly McCloskey +254 (0)727 659 100
dilorenzoa@un.org, mccloskeym@un.org
OCHA Somalia: +254 (20) 375 4150-5
http://ochaonline.un.org/somalia

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