U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa

Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org


HORN OF AFRICA
IRIN-HOA Weekly Round-Up 356
23 - 29 December 2006


CONTENTS:

ERITREA: Locust outbreak threatens agriculture
ETHIOPIA-SOMALIA: More people flee as fighting spreads
SOMALIA: Mogadishu in chaos as Islamic militia leave
SOMALIA: UN warns of humanitarian crisis as aid flights suspended
SOMALIA: All-out war "catastrophic" for southern Somalia - famine
   watchdog
SUDAN: Violence displaces more civilians in Darfur


ERITREA: Locust outbreak threatens agriculture

An outbreak of locusts along the central Red Sea coast of Eritrea could 
spell disaster for local crop produce. However, the United Nations Food 
and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said that it is still too early 
to estimate the potential damage to crops in the Horn of Africa.

Recent heavy rainfalls and an increase in vegetation in the region have 
allowed adults to lay eggs, and small groups of young locusts to form.

[Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56867]


ETHIOPIA-SOMALIA: More people flee as fighting spreads

For the first time, air attacks have been reported in Somalia's 
escalating conflict between forces of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) 
and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), backed by Ethiopian 
troops, while ground conflict was reported from previously unaffected 
areas in Central Somalia.

An international NGO official told IRIN that population displacement was 
expected in the conflict areas, and that news of aerial bombardment 
might cause people to move due to fear of further air attacks. 
Organizations will be trying to "scope out" where displaced populations 
are moving to, but, the official said that at the moment, "where they're 
going to go, people don't know... a lot of people may move out of the 
way".

[Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56835]


SOMALIA: Mogadishu in chaos as Islamic militia leave

NAIROBI, 28 Dec 2006 (IRIN) - Thousands of people have fled their homes, 
and at least 13 people have been killed and dozens injured, as rival 
militias clashed in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, residents told IRIN on 
Thursday.

Medical sources added that at least 20 people have been wounded and 
taken to hospitals within the city which was abandoned by the Union of 
Islamic Courts (UIC) militia on Wednesday.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56861]


SOMALIA: UN warns of humanitarian crisis as aid flights suspended

A humanitarian disaster is unfolding in Somalia where fighting has 
forced the suspension of relief air food operations for hundreds of 
thousands of vulnerable people, the United Nations World Food Programme 
(WFP) warned on Wednesday.

"Close to half a million flood-affected people needed urgent 
humanitarian assistance and the current insecurity will further 
complicate the humanitarian situation in Southern Somalia," WFP deputy 
Country Director for Somalia, Leo van der Velden, said.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56855]


SOMALIA: All-out war "catastrophic" for southern Somalia - famine 
watchdog

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has warned of 
potentially "catastrophic" effects of all-out war in Somalia. In an 
emergency alert issued on Friday as the conflict began to escalate, the 
analysis service highlighted the food security threat to southern 
Somalia, where 1.1 million people are already facing a humanitarian 
crisis while half a million are seriously affected by floods.

The brewing conflict had already had a "serious impact" in disrupting 
farming which had led to higher prices. Since October, food prices rose 
by 17 percent in Beletweyne, even before recent fighting.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56842]


SUDAN: Violence displaces more civilians in Darfur

Thousands of people have gone into hiding in hills near the North Darfur 
village of Abu Sakin after Arab militias continued their destructive 
rampage across parts of the western Sudanese region, aid workers said.

A United Nations assessment mission on Saturday found the village of Abu 
Sakin completely deserted and looted. More than 50 houses had been burnt 
to the ground to discourage the villagers from returning there. [Full 
story at: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56851] [ENDS]


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