At least 256,000 people have been displaced from Mogadishu since the end of October due to ongoing conflict between Ethiopian/Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces and anti-government elements. Fighting continued throughout the week with heavy shelling in Yaaqshiid, Hawl Wadaag, Heliwa and Wardhiigleey displacing about 10,000 people in the reporting period. On 16 and 17 December, at least a dozen people were killed around Bakara market, including a woman and her three children, and approximately 50 were wounded and admitted to the two

Funding Trends and Their Impact on Operations

As at 18 December 2007, WFP’s total needs to feed the 83 million people currently targeted for food assistance in 2007 are estimated to be over US$3.4 billion. As 2007 is coming to an end, country offices are now pre-positioning for 2008 requirements.

Last Saturday, 51 people drowned when a boat carrying irregular migrants from Turkey to Greece sank in rough weather off the Turkish coast close to Seferihisar, a town 50 kilometres south-west of Izmir. Another 35 people are still missing and are presumed to have also drowned.

From Bosasso, Abdullahi hopes to make her way to Yemen, from where she will proceed to Saudi Arabia where she hopes to survive as an immigrant. Abdullahi left her four children with her mother in a camp for the displaced near the town of Afgoye, 30km south of Mogadishu.

"I left with my husband and a group of other migrants. We were led by a broker we met in Addis, who took us to Nazareth and then on to Harar.

"I left Addis after my brother was killed in the violence that followed the elections [in 2005]. I did not feel safe and was tired of the violence.

It is estimated that more than 1221 people have died so far this year trying to make the journey from the Puntland town of Bossasso to Yemen with UNHCR reporting that 26,913 Ethiopians and

Somalia's consul-general in Aden, Hussein Haji Ahmed, told IRIN the death toll was over 80, including women and children.

The boat was carrying over 120 African migrants and was heading for the southern Yemeni province of Hadhramaut.

After charting an unusual course in order to avoid being spotted by coastguards, the boat capsized as smugglers tried

En novembre, la situation relative au Criquet pèlerin s'est aggravée en Afrique de l'est. éclosions et formation de bandes larvaires ont eu lieu dans l'est de l'éthiopie, des essaims ont été observés en Somalie et, pour la première fois depuis 1961, quelques essaims ont envahi le nord-est du Kenya et y ont pondu. éclosions et formation de bandes concerneront ces trois pays en décembre. En conséquence, il est indispensable d'entreprendre des opérations intensives de prospection et

Forecast until mid-January 2008

The Desert Locust situation worsened in eastern Africa during November. Hatching and band formation occurred in eastern Ethiopia, swarms were seen in Somalia and a few swarms invaded northeastern Kenya for the first time since 1961 and laid eggs. Hatching and band formation will occur during December in the three countries. Therefore, it is critical that intensive survey and control operations are undertaken; otherwise, new swarms could start to form at the end of the year and move