Humanitarian aid blocked by al-Shabaab leaves Somali town on brink of famine

Buur Hakaba, a small settlement perched on one of the few hills in Somalia’s southwest plain, lies 180 km from the capital and is reachable only by United Nations planes after al-Shabaab seized the main road, controlling roughly 30 % of the country and sitting just 15 km from the town. Around the settlement, camps such as Ballow host hundreds of families who escaped drought-driven hunger, living in makeshift tents without education, sanitation or electricity, and vulnerable to nightly sexual assaults.

Sabarin Fidle, a 25-year-old mother of five, reports receiving a single meal per day while a neighboring clan-dominant camp enjoys better facilities. She says aid groups are barred because militants suspect food parcels contain spying equipment. With al-Shabaab’s proximity and restricted humanitarian access, the population remains on the verge of famine.