U.N. warns Baidoa fighting is worsening humanitarian crisis

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Fighting in Somalia’s southwestern city of Baidoa is worsening an already difficult humanitarian situation and putting civilians at greater risk, the United Nations humanitarian office said Tuesday.

Clashes in August and September have caused continued insecurity, new displacement and reduced access to basic services, according to a statement from George Conway, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia.

Women, children, older people and people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable, Conway said. They face additional difficulties in staying safe, accessing humanitarian assistance and moving freely, he said.

Repeated displacement is also weakening families’ ability to cope with the crisis, Conway said, adding that Baidoa was already facing persistently high levels of child malnutrition.

The U.N. official urged all parties involved in the fighting to prioritize the protection of civilians and comply with international humanitarian law.

“Parties must take all necessary measures to prevent harm to civilians,” Conway said.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA, also called for prompt and impartial investigations into reports of civilian casualties.

It urged all parties to ensure that civilians can safely reach humanitarian aid and essential services.

Schools and other civilian locations must be protected from the effects of the fighting, Conway said. Hospitals and other health facilities are afforded special protection under international humanitarian law, he added.

Humanitarian organizations said they would continue providing life-saving assistance to people affected by the conflict but stressed that aid workers and humanitarian supplies and facilities must be protected.

The agencies also called on the parties to allow safe, rapid and unrestricted humanitarian access to people affected by the fighting.

Baidoa, a major population center in South West state, has experienced renewed fighting in recent months amid tensions between rival political and security forces. The violence has raised concerns over the impact on civilians in a city that hosts large numbers of displaced people.