Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH (dpa)
Thursday, April 19, 2007
At least 4 000 people have gathered at the Somali frontier town of Doble since the worst fighting in 15 years broke out early April in the capital Mogadishu between transitional government forces and insurgents.
"The town is struggling to cope with a recent influx of an estimated 4 000 displaced Somalis and an outbreak of diarrhoea which has so far claimed the lives of six children," the UNHCR said in a statement.
It said 36 people were being sent to hospital in a provisional camp set up on the outskirts of Doble to prevent the spread of disease and with the absence of an observation room, patient triage was being conducted under a thorn tree.
The UN said it had sent two truckloads of relief and medical supplies to the town about 18 kilometres east of the Kenyan border to deal with the burgeoning humanitarian crisis, which included antibiotics, syringes, soap, blankets and sleeping mats.
Kenya has kept its border with the turbulent Horn of Africa country shut since January 3, but has allowed aid workers to cross into Somalia to attend to the crowds fleeing fighting and constant insecurity.
Since February, more than 200 000 people have fled Mogadishu, the scene of almost daily fighting between government troops and remnants of a popular Islamist group that ruled the country for the last half of 2006, which has left hundreds dead.
Kenya houses around 170 000 Somali refugees, who have been streaming in since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohammed Siad Barre swept the country into anarchy and warlord rule.
Source: dpa, April 19, 2007