Mogadishu: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a warning that millions of people in Somalia are facing increasingly severe hunger and malnutrition due to a significant funding shortfall. This financial gap has compelled the program to cut back on its critical emergency food assistance.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, WFP Emergencies Director Ross Smith highlighted the dire situation, stating, “Our response capacity is shrinking by the day, as we witness a dangerous rise in emergency hunger levels. The absence of urgent funding will leave families on the brink of collapse without any support, just when they need it most.”

The report indicates that 4.4 million Somalis are facing crisis levels or worse of food insecurity. Among them, 1.8 million children under the age of five are malnourished, and merely 180,000 children are receiving necessary nutritional treatment. This dire situation forces families to resort to extreme measures, such as selling essential assets, to meet their food needs. The crisis is intensifying in fragile and rapidly changing conditions, where any additional shock could have devastating effects on communities.