MOGADISHU, Somalia – The UN humanitarian agency said on Wednesday attacks on aid workers providing humanitarian supplies in Somalia resulted in the deaths of 15 aid workers by 2020.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 12 workers were injured, 24 abducted and 14 arrested in 2020, with 56 incidents involving aid workers reported.
“In a single tragic incident, seven health workers were abducted and subsequently murdered. Several cases of confiscation of humanitarian supplies, robbery and harassment of humanitarian personnel were also reported,” OCHA said in its latest humanitarian report.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency said violence against humanitarian personnel and facilities was one of the biggest access challenges alongside humanitarian workers’ ability to reach affected communities and support sustainable programming.
According to OCHA, humanitarian access challenges were frequently reported in the states of Southwest, Jubbaland and Hirshabelle, which together accounted for about 53 percent of all reported access incidents in Somalia in 2020.
It said the main restriction recorded was the restriction on the movement of humanitarian supplies and personnel.
“This included illegal taxation, roadblocks, checkpoints imposed by al-Shabab and clan-related militias, ongoing hostilities among armed actors, military operations and improvised explosive attacks, as well as the overall security situation, which was unpredictable,” OCHA said.
These, the UN agency said, resulted in restrictions or suspensions of the movement for both civilian and humanitarian.
It said COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the government meant many humanitarian organizations had to change their ways of reaching those in need.
“The diversity of access challenges in Somalia not only creates serious barriers to land movement, but also reinforces the importance of air access,” OCHA said.
