(www.Bartamaha.com):- The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday it has moved at least 15,000 Somali refugees to the new tents in Ifo2 part of Ifo Extension site to ease congestion at the Dadaab refugee camp.

“Some 600 tents have been pitched there so far. Movements to the Ifo 3 area of the Ifo Extension are continuing. Demarcation works, installation of basic facilities and pitching of tents is ongoing at Ifo2 part of Ifo Extension,” the statement said.

The Dadaab camps are now sheltering more than 440,000 Somali refugees.

The UN agency said the last of three scheduled flights of UNHCR humanitarian aid to Somalia landed in Mogadishu on Saturday morning, completing the consignment of some 100 metric tonnes of emergency assistance.

Saturday’s flight carried 45,000 boxes of high energy biscuits, plastic sheeting for shelter, sleeping mats and blankets, jerry cans for water and kitchen sets for collecting and cooking food.

“The same day, we distributed some 500 emergency assistance packages (EAPs) in the Al Adala camp sheltering some 2,000 displaced Somali families (approx. 13,000 people).”

UNHCR has been shipping relief supplies to Mogadishu by sea and land, but due to the large number of people seeking help in the city after fleeing their famine-hit villages in Somali’s southern region, the agency decided to airlift supplies to save time.

Over 100,000 Somalis have gone to Mogadishu over the past two months in search of food, water, shelter and other forms of humanitarian assistance. There were already over 370,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Mogadishu before the latest influx.

Mogadishu is one of the five areas in southern Somalia which the United Nations has declared to be struck by famine. Before the current crisis, the Somali capital hosted some 370,000 internally displaced peoples.

An additional 100,000 flocked to Mogadishu during June and July alone, seeking food, water, shelter and medical help.

The majority of the displaced at the Al Adala site have fled from Somalia’s drought and famine-affected southern regions. “They told our team that they have lost everything and were hoping to start afresh in the Somali capital. Many were forced to leave elderly or disabled relatives behind, knowing they would not survive the arduous journey,”UNHCR said. “Many walked for days without food or water. Some were confronted by Al Shabaab militants at roadblocks, apparently seeking to discourage people from moving, ” UNHCR said.

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