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Crisis in Somalia
In a turbulent one year in Somalia, over 400,000 people have been displaced because of intense fighting, severe food shortages, and devastating floods. Islamic Relief has increased its efforts in a place where a life of normalcy seems to become ever distant.

Somalia Humanitarian Crisis
Fighting broke out in southern and central Somalia on December 20, 2006, forcing over 100,000 people to abandon their homes and flee for safety. Local law enforcement has also abandoned the capital of Mogadishu on December 28, leaving a power vacuum and throwing the country into chaos.

Mohamoud Auke, Islamic Relief's coordinator for southern Somalia, reported looting and low level violence in the capital, Mogadishu. "Everything is upside down, there is no government, no authority and everyone seems to have a gun in town."

Displaced
At least 800 people have died in the current conflict and thousands of people across southern and central Somalia are fleeing their homes to escape the fighting.
 
There were already 400,000 internally displaced people in Somalia before the current wave of violence, now another 100,000 people have abandoned their homes.

Thousands of people are moving into Galkayo city in the Mudug region of Puntland and the Juba and Shabelle regions in the south. Approximately half the population of Balatweyne have fled the city according to United Nations staff in Nairobi.

Many of the displaced people will have no shelter, food or access to clean water.

Fifteen years of crisis
There has been no effective central government in Somalia since 1991. The country is divided into a patchwork of warring factions, with the two northern states of Somaliland and Puntland declaring themselves independent.

In addition to civil unrest, Somalia is plagued by natural disasters. Torrential rains in November and December 2006 created the worst flooding for 50 years, ruining crops and affecting over half a million people.

Islamic Relief's Action
Islamic Relief established operations in Somalia in May 2006. The first field office was established in Garowe, the capital of the Puntland State of Somalia in the north-east of the country. Shortly thereafter, a sub-field office was established in Ba’adweyn, also in Puntland.

Just in 2007, Islamic Relief provided more than $15 million worth of medicines and medical supplies to Somalia. The shipment of the aid, in partnership with others, has helped hundreds of thousands of Somalians.

In December 2006, in response to the floods in south and central Somalia, a team was sent to Mogadishu. This team responded to the crisis and also successfully established a fully operational office. Islamic Relief now operates three fully staffed offices covering some of the main hubs of the country. The program has also started to set up an office in Kismayo, following recent fighting in Mogadishu. The objectives of this newest office will be to respond to urgent needs of the growing number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in this region.

In each community and region where Islamic Relief has established operations, needs assessments have been undertaken. For the next two years, Islamic Relief will be focusing on Health, Water and Sanitation, Education, Assistance to IDPs, Orphan Support, and Seasonal and Emergency Projects.