The International Red Cross has begun a huge distribution of aid to one million people in famine zones in Somalia controlled by Islamist militants. <P>A continuous operation will transport the food in lorries from the coast deep into areas controlled by al-Shabab. <P>The Red Cross says it is i...

Highlights •Ongoing Kenya operation moves nearly 79,000 Somali arrivals from Dadaab’s outskirts to its extensions before the onset of the rainy season. •Crude mortality rate in Ethiopia’s Dollo Ado reduces drastically from 4-5 deaths per 10,000, to 0.4 deaths per 10,000 daily. •Spate of vi...

GENEVA, 13 October (UNHCR) - UN High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, today expressed his deep shock and indignation at the violent abduction at the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya of two female MSF staff and the shooting of their driver. “These MSF colleagues were working to rescue live...

The arrival trend in October continues to show a significant increase, with a total of 4,968 Somali refugees crossing into Ethiopia over the last 12 days. This brings the average daily arrival rate to 414, which is more than twice the trend back in September. Hilaweyn has almost reached its full ...

IKEA Foundation, the charitable arm of the world's largest furniture retailer, has committed US$62 million to help build Kambioos in Dadaab. The focus of the partnership encompasses not only infrastructural development but also enhancing social services and livelihood opportunities. This enjoins IKE...

UNHCR is releasing today at 11am Geneva time a new report on asylum trends in industrialized countries during the first half of 2011. The report shows a 17 percent increase in asylum claims during this period, with Afghans continuing to be the largest group by country of origin. The report notes rel...

The deteriorating humanitarian situation in Somalia has forced more than 318,000 Somalis to flee their country so far this year. While the majority are seeking safety and aid in neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia, many Somalis continue to head northwards to embark on the risky sea journey across the Gu...

In the Dadaab refugee complex in eastern Kenya, we are seeing a sharp drop in the number of new arrivals from Somalia. This could be due to the border military operations or the onset of heavy rains in the area. No newly-arriving refugees have approached the registration centre in the last week. ...

Thousands of displaced Somalis have been affected by heavy rains and flooding in parts of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. <P>In Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, the rains have flooded the shelters of some 2,800 people in Sigale IDP camp. In response, UNHCR has distributed 4,500 assistance kits with pla...

More than a month after the kidnapping of three aid workers in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee complex, insecurity continues to affect aid efforts. The situation is being exacerbated by heavy rains and accompanying risks of waterborne diseases. <P>Nearly 100 additional Kenyan police have been deployed in ...