Over 420,000 people displaced in Somalia in 10 months: UNHCR

Mogadishu, Nov 19 (IANS) More than 427,000 people have been internally displaced within Somalia in the first 10 months of 2024, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said Tuesday.

According to the UNHCR-led Protection and Solutions Monitoring Network (PSMN), the rate of internal displacement due to conflict and insecurity increased significantly in October, with Gedo, Bay and Banadir regions in southern Somalia recording the highest inflows of displaced populations.

The PSMN, which has been tracking internal displacement trends for the past 17 years, recorded about 66,000 internal displacements in October, of which 50,000 were attributed to conflict and insecurity, while 3,000 were due to climate-induced shocks such as drought and floods, the UNHCR said in its operational update released in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

According to the UNHCR, food, shelter, water, livelihood support and healthcare are the top needs of newly displaced families, Xinhua news agency reported.

In collaboration with authorities and partners, the UN Refugee Agency said it provided vital protection assistance to vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities affected by conflict, insecurity and climate change.

The agency said that finding durable solutions for refugees, asylum seekers, refugee returnees and IDPs, in collaboration with the Somali government and other partners, remains one of its top priorities.

--IANS

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