Renewed violence in Somalia has led to the killing of children, with others injured in Baidoa amid fresh clashes between government forces and fighters loyal to the former regional president, who was ousted in March.

The fresh clashes began on Monday after thousands of local fighters entered Baidoa early that day.

According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other humanitarian agencies, a health facility was also destroyed.

UNICEF expressed concern over the current escalation of violence in the state, saying that “Children are once again bearing the heaviest burden of violence.”

“UNICEF calls on all parties to protect children from harm, ensure the protection of schools, and health facilities, and allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access.”

The recent crisis occurs as Somalis are subjected to a severe humanitarian crisis.

Earlier this year, the army took control of Baidoa, and since then, it has been seeking to maintain control of the city.

The recurring violence in the country comes amid its worsening food security crisis, driven by conflict, mass displacement, global trade disruptions and extreme climate shocks such as severe droughts and flooding.

The United Nations (UN) said about two million children across Somalia are acutely or severely malnourished, making Somalia one of the world’s biggest malnutrition crises.

About 26,000 people in Baidoa face catastrophic food insecurity, the highest level on the hunger scale, putting them at risk of famine.

The anticipated El Niño weather pattern is expected to worsen the crisis by intensifying the October-December rainy season.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said families had been severely affected by several issues and had been torn apart by these overlapping crises.

A woman, Hawo, said a mortar shell hit her family home in Baidoa, killing her father. Her brother later died during the clash.

The conflict made her flee to Mogadishu with her daughter, and she presently lives with her aunt.

“Even with my aunt’s support, I have been struggling, but sometimes it is really bad,” she said. “Some days we eat just once a day.”

Ms Hawo said her daughter, Farhiya, became listless, lost her appetite and was losing weight.

She added that she was advised to visit the Weido clinic for help. However, the clinic is turning women and children away due to a lack of resources.

“I hope I can get the support I need for my child to recover,” Hawo said, as aid workers worry that things will only get worse.

WFP said it was strained due to mass humanitarian aid funding cuts, with its food assistance dropping from four million people monthly a few years ago to just over 670,000.

The organisation has been the backbone of the food aid response in Somalia.

“In 2022, when Somalia was experiencing its longest drought in 40 years, timely and generous funding helped scale up assistance to avert famine,” explained Hameed Nuru, WFP Country Director in Somalia.

“Today, severe funding shortfalls mean we are only reaching a fraction of those in need, forcing us to make painful choices about who receives assistance and who does not,” he said.