Security authorities in Baladweyne have announced a firm crackdown on armed groups reportedly targeting families displaced by the drought affecting parts of the Hiiraan region in Hirshabelle State.

Police officials in Baladweyne said they bear a major responsibility in supporting displaced families facing severe hardship and in ensuring that the limited aid reaching them is protected. They stressed the need to safeguard vulnerable households from criminal groups seeking to exploit their situation.

Meanwhile, the administration of Hiiraan region in Hirshabelle State said it is assisting families suffering in the Ceel Jaalle area and added that it is working in coordination with all parties willing to contribute to the relief effort.

Several areas in Hiiraan have been adversely affected by the ongoing drought in the country. Families now living in displacement camps include both pastoralists and farmers, many of whom are reported to have lost the little they once depended on for their livelihoods.