VZCZCXRO8741
PP RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1248/01 0780839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190839Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8347
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 0134
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 001248 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
USAID/DCHA FOR MHESS, WGARVELINK, LROGERS 
DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA, ACONVERY, 
KCHANNELL 
DCHA/FFP FOR WHAMMINK, JDWORKEN 
AFR/AFR/EA FOR JBORNS 
STATE FOR AF/E, AF/F AND PRM 
STATE/AF/E FOR NGARY 
STATE/F FOR ASISSON 
STATE/PRM FOR AWENDT, MMCKELVEY 
NSC FOR TSHORTLEY 
USUN FOR AMAHONEY 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
USMISSION UN ROME FOR RNEWBERG 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM PREL PREF SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA DART SITUATION REPORT 20 - 
DISPLACEMENT FROM MOGADISHU 
 
NAIROBI 00001248  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
¶1.  By March 8, the Office of the UN High Commissioner 
for Refugees (UNHCR) had received reports of more than 
40,000 people leaving Mogadishu over the past month. 
The majority are new internally displaced persons 
(IDPs) fleeing escalating insecurity in the capital, 
however, up to 10,000 of the IDPs were originally from 
Bay or Gedo regions and are now returning to their 
areas of origin.  Approximately 20,000 of the newly 
displaced are currently gathered along the road from 
Mogadishu to Afgoye in Lower Shabelle Region.  Relief 
agencies are working to identify additional needs and 
to coordinate assistance efforts for the IDPs and host 
communities.  End summary. 
 
BACKGROUND 
 
¶2.  Deteriorating security in Mogadishu has led more 
than 40,000 people to leave the capital in the last 
month for areas in southern and central Somalia where 
they have clan support, according to reports received 
by UNHCR as of March 8.  General insecurity, targeted 
attacks against Transitional Federal Government (TFG), 
Ethiopian, and African Union Mission in Somalia 
(AMISOM) troops, and retaliatory strikes against the 
suspected attackers have increased in recent weeks and 
are now occurring almost nightly, according to relief 
agencies on the ground.  UNHCR has reported that 
civilians, and particularly IDPs, are often wounded or 
killed in the attacks as many housing settlements are 
located near military and other government facilities. 
 
SETTLEMENTS NEAR MOGADISHU 
 
¶3.  As many as 20,000 people have settled in several 
locations along the road from Mogadishu to Afgoye, and 
near Qoryooley town, in Lower Shabelle Region. 
Ceelasha, Xaawo Cabdi, and Lafoole towns have all 
reported large numbers of IDPs arriving since early 
February.  UNHCR explains the high concentration of 
IDPs in the area by the proximity to Mogadishu and the 
relative availability of water and sanitation 
facilities.  In addition, approximately 4,500 people 
have moved to nearby Jowhar town and Balcad District, 
north of Mogadishu in Middle Shabelle Region. 
 
DISPLACED IN BAY, GEDO, and HIRAN REGIONS 
 
¶4.  Of the 40,000 persons to leave Mogadishu in 
February and early March, up to 10,000 of these were 
originally displaced from Baidoa and nearby villages in 
Bay Region, and from several locations in Gedo Region. 
These IDPs are now returning to their places of origin 
following a worsening security environment in 
Mogadishu. 
 
¶5.  Approximately 3,000 individuals have arrived in 
Hiran Region since early February, with most settling 
in or near Belet Weyne town.  Relief agencies in 
Galgadud and Mudug regions report the arrival of 1,650 
households from Mogadishu, including approximately 
1,200 new IDPs in Galkayo town.  The remainder of the 
newly displaced are dispersed throughout Somalia. 
 
HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AND RESPONSE EFFORTS 
 
¶6.  In general, the vast majority of people uprooted 
 
NAIROBI 00001248  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
from insecurity in Mogadishu have sought out areas 
inhabited by related clans, and many are receiving some 
assistance from relatives and clan members.  However, 
UNHCR reports that resources and support mechanisms are 
already stretched thin in most areas, and humanitarian 
organizations are indicating that food, shelter, and 
health care are urgent needs among new IDPs. 
 
¶7.  The UN World Food Program (WFP) reported that 
assessments to determine the number, condition, and 
needs of IDPs in Afgoye, Lower Juba Region, Balad in 
Middle Juba Region, and Baidoa in Bay Region, are 
ongoing as of March 15.  The USAID-funded NGO World 
Vision is scheduled to deliver a one-time food aid 
distribution provided by WFP for approximately 1,900 
IDPs in Tieglo town, Bakol Region, following an 
assessment the week of March 5. 
 
¶8.  WFP noted that food aid for displaced populations 
throughout southern and central regions will likely be 
provided as one-off distributions based on the 
expectation that IDPs will return to places of origin, 
and to avoid creating a draw for additional population 
displacement.  UNHCR has recognized the need for 
greater communication and coordination among relief 
agencies in identifying and meeting the needs of new 
IDPs. 
 
COMMENTS 
 
¶9.  Although the TFG has pledged to improve security in 
Mogadishu within 30 days following the upcoming 
deployment of recently trained security forces, mortar 
attacks and targeted killings of businessmen and TFG 
supporters have increased in recent weeks.  The 
recently-arrived AMISOM troops have also met violent 
resistance.  In light of such resistance, and the 
currently limited TFG capacity to prevent such attacks, 
the humanitarian community is concerned that additional 
displacement from Mogadishu will occur, and is bound to 
strain the resources of host communities throughout 
southern and central Somalia.  The USG Disaster 
Assistance Response Team (DART) based in Nairobi is 
working with partner agencies to identify emerging 
needs and coordinate appropriate response efforts. 
 
RANNEBERGER