Two million children face starvation

Children suffer the most from the worst drought in decades in the Horn of Africa. (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/193043.html

Nearly two million children are facing starvation as the worst famine in 60 years continues to batter the Horn of Africa region.

UN sources said Sunday that these children, all under five, are just a small fraction of close to 13 million people facing hunger in the Horn of Africa.

At least 30,000 Africans have already starved to death as the region experiences its worst drought in decades. In many places, there has been no rain for the past two years.

The UN has declared famine in parts of southern Somalia and says the situation will get worse unless international aid comes in soon.

In Somalia, where a child is said to be dying every six minutes, three new districts were declared famine zones last week. Almost five million people are now at risk of starvation, but help has been hampered by continued violence.

Somalia has been worst affected by the famine in the Horn of Africa, as people in parts of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Djibouti are also affected by the epidemic.