UNICEF decries rising child deaths over landmines in Somalia

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The UN children’s agency, UNICEF has raised the red flag over increasing deaths of children in Somalia due to landmines.

In a statement following recent deaths, UNICEF said more children in Somalia were falling victim to unexploded ordnances (UXOs). The statement follows the recent death of at least two children and the injury of two others in Galgadud region when a bajaj they were travelling in with their mother hit a landmine. The mother was also killed.

UNICEF called on ‘all parties to the conflict in Somalia to conduct regular risk mapping, take responsibility to handle explosive remnants of war with care, to clear existing mines and unexploded devices.’

It added that there was a need for scaled-up explosive ordnance risk education among children and communities.

Six children were killed between Jicibow and Bulaburde in HirShabelle state on July 11 after a bajaj they were in ran into a landmine.

In a related incident in June, at least 22 children were among 27 people killed during a football tourney in Lower Shabelle region after an explosive device went off.