31 October 2007 - Recent mounting violence between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) / Ethiopian troops and anti-government forces, is putting the population in danger. The humanitarian situation in and around Mogadishu is worsening, with many alarming malnutrition and displacement indicators already existing. Exacerbated fighting not only forces many people to flee their homes but also prevents them from accessing the very few humanitarian facilities in the capital, such as ACF's health and nutrition centres. In addition, insecurity restricts humanitarian workers' access to the most vulnerable people.

Over the past few days, some ACF employees have been unable to reach ACF's health and nutrition centres located in the southern part of Mogadishu due to the fighting. "Twenty-five percent of the severely malnourished children under treatment and their families left our therapeutic feeding centre during the weekend due to the surrounding insecurity. People have no alternative but to restrict their movements and seek refuge elsewhere," comments Nuur Sheikh Ibrahim, ACF Nutrition field officer.

ACF has been implementing emergency programmes in Mogadishu since 1992. Its programmes are directly helping some 5,000 people per month and indirectly some 50,000 people through water chlorination programmes. Our teams are used to coping with latent conflict, political instability and banditry but the current deteriorating level of insecurity is not acceptable. ACF, as an independent, non-governmental organisation adhering to the crucial humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality as stated in its Charter, urges all parties directly or indirectly involved in the conflict in Somalia to take responsibility and to respect International Humanitarian Law, which includes free and direct access to independent and impartial humanitarian aid. This is the only solution to prevent an impending humanitarian catastrophe.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

For more information, please contact Sylvain Trottier, ACF-France, on strottier@actioncontrelafaim.org or +33 1 43 35 82 24 Christine Kahmann, ACF-UK, on c.kahmann@aahuk.org or +44 20 8293 6197

Action Against Hunger (also known as ACF or Action contre la Faim) is an international humanitarian organisation, working in 43 of the world's poorest countries. Its vocation is to save lives, especially those of malnourished children, and to work with vulnerable populations to preserve and restore their livelihoods with dignity.