U.N. warns clashes in southwest Somalia displace 45,000 people
“Those affected include some of the most vulnerable people, with 30% already living in displacement sites and struggling to cope with the compounded impacts of severe drought,” Conway said.
Monday March 30, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Fresh fighting and mounting tensions in Somalia’s Southwest State have driven an estimated 45,000 people from their homes, pushing already strained families into areas where access to basic services and humanitarian aid is thin, the United Nations said Friday.
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In a statement released in Mogadishu, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) cited Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia George Conway as voicing serious alarm over the worsening crisis, especially for communities already battered by severe drought.
“Those affected include some of the most vulnerable people, with 30% already living in displacement sites and struggling to cope with the compounded impacts of severe drought,” Conway said.
Women, children, older people and people with disabilities make up much of the new wave of displacement, and they now face increased protection risks and harsher living conditions, particularly around the outskirts of Baidoa, the regional capital. Baidoa already shelters about 430,000 internally displaced people, raising concerns that another influx could overwhelm humanitarian services.
Conway called on all sides in the conflict to safeguard civilians and keep aid efforts moving.
“I urge all parties to uphold their obligations to protect civilians, ensure the unhindered movement of people, and guarantee safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need,” he said.
He also pressed for immediate de-escalation, warning that more violence would deepen an already fragile humanitarian emergency.
“Without urgent action, the humanitarian situation in Baidoa town will deteriorate further,” Conway warned, urging stakeholders to create conditions that would allow displaced families to return safely and with dignity to their homes.
The latest displacement highlights Somalia’s continuing exposure to the twin pressures of conflict and climate shocks, as the country struggles with political tensions, insecurity and repeated drought.