Somalia sends aid shipments to drought-stricken region

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - The government in Somalia said Thursday it has sent aid to the Bakol region as part of its drought response campaign.

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs announced it sent two planes carrying 12 tons of relief to the drought-stricken district of Ceelbarde.

"The ministry of Humanitarian affairs and disaster management has sent 12 tons of relief supplies to the district of Ceelbarde of the Bakol region," near the border with Ethiopia, the agency said on Twitter.

The two planeloads came from the government of Qatar as part of a drought relief package for the South West State -- one of the worst drought-affected states in the country.

The Bakol region has been under the control of the al-Shabaab terror group for nearly a decade making it impossible for humanitarian workers to reach affected residents.

Somalia’s president visited a crowded internally displaced persons camp Wednesday on the outskirts of Baidoa, the administrative capital of South West State, and pleaded for immediate action to help save lives as he urged the international community to intervene.

"The international community has been standing by the Somali people for the last 3 decades, now it's another time. We commit and are willing and hope this might be the last time," said Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Somalia is experiencing one of the worst droughts in 40 years and the UN raised the alarm earlier this week when it warned that 330,000 children are at risk of dying from starvation.

More than 40% of the country's population has been affected by the prolonged droughts that hit almost 90% of the Horn of Africa country, according to Somalia's presidential envoy.