If something isn't done soon, millions will die in Somalia

Experts from the United Nations released a report saying that more than a million people in war-ravaged Somalia are near to famine, with both hunger and drought due to worsen.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - This grim prediction was based on the latest data that the U.N. has collected since the famine began three years ago in the Horn of Africa. The famine has caused more than a quarter of a million deaths, and heavy fighting continues to persist in the areas hardest hit.

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The report reveals that 1,025,000 people were classified as either in "crisis" or in an "emergency" situation, just one short step away from famine. This represents a significant increase of people affected since January.

The report was released by the U.N.'s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit and the US-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network.

"The gradual recovery and gains made since the end of the famine in 2012 are being lost as poor rains, conflict, trade disruptions and reduced humanitarian assistance led to a worsening of the food security situation," the report said.

"Acute malnutrition increased in many parts of the country, particularly among children. The situation is likely to continue deteriorating further."

Almost 45,000 Somalian children are at extreme risk of dying from hunger, while one in seven children under five-about 218,00-are acutely malnourished.

In 2011, more than 250,000 people-half of them children-died in a devastating famine, something that spurred the selection of an internationally-backed government in 2012, one which was widely hailed as offering the best chance in decades to repair the war-ravaged country.

However, reports of hunger even inside the capital is raising severe doubts over the government's ability to stop the famine, especially following accusations of corruption, and increased attacks by the Islamist Shebab insurgents in the southern and central part of the country.

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