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West and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (6 - 12 August 2019)

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Chad
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OCHA
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CHAD

37 KILLED IN INTERCOMMUNAL FIGHTING

At least 37 people were killed in intercommunal fighting on 9 August in the eastern province of Ouaddai, according to media reports. The clashes marked the latest outbreak of violence between nomadic camel herders and sedentary farmers in an area strategic for herder migration near the border with Sudan.

NIGERIA

AT LEAST FIVE KILLED IN SUICIDE ATTACK

A new spate of attacks has hit civilians in localities near the capital north-eastern Borno State, Maiduguri. On 5 August, five persons were killed in a suicide attack targeting worshippers at a mosque near the Bulamari internally displaced persons camp, in Mafa. On 7 August, scores of armed individuals raided Kotori village, burning at least 14 homes and looting several shops. The military have imposed a temporary restriction of movement along the busy Maiduguri-Damaturu road.

NEARLY 200,000 CHILDREN TARGETED FOR MALARIA PREVENTION

The Yobe State Ministry of Health, WHO and the Malaria Consortium are delivering seasonal malaria prophylaxis to nearly 190,000 children aged 3–59 months across 60 wards of Yusufari, Tarmuwa, Bade, Machina, Nguru and Karasuwa local government areas (LGAs). The targeted LGAs reported the highest malaria cases in 2018 in Yobe State. In north-east Nigeria, malaria accounts for more than half of all deaths recorded, compared to other causes including cholera, measles and hepatitis E.

NIGER

ABDUCTION OF CIVILIANS IN DIFFA REGION

Civilians continue to be at risk of abductions by armed groups in the Diffa region, according to the protection working group. Since January, 150 kidnappings were recorded in the area, with a peak in the last two months with 70 kidnappings in June and 66 kidnappings, including 43 women, in July. As a prevention measure, more than 1,600 people from Woor (commune of Bosso), Kessa-Bassa (Gueskérou), Chugowa (Gueskerou) have moved between 23-30 July to settle principally in Diffa.

DR CONGO

MORE THAN 137,000 MEASLES CASES

The measles outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to spread and the number of cases in recent weeks are increasing. From 1 January to 21 July 2019, a total of 137,154 suspected cases, including 2,581 deaths (case fatality ratio 1.9%), have been reported from 455 (88%) out of 519 health zones across all 26 provinces of the country. The provinces of Tshopo, Kasai, HautLomami, Lualaba, South-Kivu, Tanganyika, Kasai-Central, Ituri and Kasai-Oriental account for 80% of the cumulative cases reported since the beginning of 2019. Densely populated urban areas in the capital city Kinshasa are also affected, with 29 of its 35 health zones reporting cases. Two provinces, North-Kivu and Ituri, are concomitantly affected by the ongoing Ebola outbreak. Activities to intensify current response measures are ongoing and a national response plan to be validated by the national health cluster.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.