2023 News
Awareness: Conflict, Humanitarianism and Natural Disaster
Design by: Vernika Monk
UKRAINE
Conflict:
The Russo-Ukrainian war that began in 2014, has re-started as of February 2022 to present day. The Russian-led war has caused many attacks on Ukrainian soil from the Russians, which has damaged various facilities, buildings and homes. Ukraine has countered these attacks by damaging buildings, bases and other structures, in Russia.
Natural Disaster:
A tremendous snow storm in Mykolaiv near Kyiv caused electrical damage causing ten fatalities.
In addition, in June, a man-made disaster from Russian strikes to a road caused damage to the Kokhovka Dam, in the Kherson regions. As a result, there was tremendous flooding in towns, villages and damaged agricultural land.
Humanitarian:
As the war progressed, humanitarians state that there have been over 3.6M Ukrainians that are internally displaced. It is stated that 18% of the Ukrainian refugees have fled to other countries, such as the US, Canada, and as far as South America. However, most have fled to the countries near them, such as Poland, Hungary and Slovenia.
The the Kokhovka dam strike, in June by Russian forces caused flooding. This displaced at least 17K Ukrainians in the Kherson regions causing damages to buildings and land.
SOMALIA
Conflict:
There are numerous factions within Somalia that are vying for territory. The entities of conflct are Al-Shabab (southern and central), Islamic State (Puntland), Somaliland, Khatumo (Sanaa and Sool area), including the Somali governance.
In 2022, the Al-Shabab group made many invasions in the southern region of Somalia, including several western border countries, such as Ethophia. They gained much ground during these attacks and bombings. Since then, in 2023, the Al-Shabab forces continue to vy for territory by bombings, strikes to military bases, and other infrastructure in the regions of Bay, Gulmudug, Hirshabelle, and the Lower Shabelle, including Mogadishu, Banandir region of Somalia. The Somali Army has successfully re-captured several of these towns, such as Harardhere, and El Dhere, while killing many al-Shabab militants and jihadist.
There are continued battles with the self-autonomous region of Somaliland, which the Somalian government does not recognize. Puntland and Somaliland continue to battle for the upper region of Sool, Snaag, and Togdheer. The battle between the Khatumo (they protect the Somali border areas from Somaliland forces) and Somaliland forces continue to war, also, along with the Somali Army.
Natural Disaster:
In the months of May and June, Somalia received heavy rain. These rains affected the Bakool, Banadir, Bari, Hiraan, Lower Juba, Middle Juba, Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle, and Nagal regions.
There was more rain that arrived in the month of November, during the Deyr season. These rains caused the Shabelle River, near Hiraan to overflow into homes causing 14 fatalities in the Luuq and Jubaland districts of Somalia.
Humanitarian:
The main cause of displacement are flooding, followed by conflict and drought. There are over 2.9M Somalians that are displaced.
The heavy rain, in November near the Shabelle and Juba River caused flood damage and the destruction of humanitarian camps and homes, which has been evasporated by the historic 2022 flooding. The ongoing conflict is increasing Somalians migration internally and externally. In addition, the already drought-prone is now experiencing historic drought conditions, not seen in over 40 years.
In addition, Somalians seek refuge in other countries, but there are thousands of refugees who flee to Somalia, such as Egyptians, Saudia Arabians, Syrians and the Yemenis.
YEMEN
Conflict:
The Houthis continue to be at odds internally and externally with other countries.
The tension between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis were reduced when a cease-fire was declared in April of 2022. Although the ceasefire technically ended in October 2022, it remained calm, except for a few sporadic fighting within Yemen and along the Saudi Arabia border. In addition, in the month of September, in northern Yemen a Houthi drone attack caused the fatality of four Bahrain Forces, who align with Saudia Arabia.
In conjunction with the Hamas-Israeli war, the rebel Houthis retaliated by striking military and cargo ships along the Red Sea. These Houthi strikes have effected the travel of all maritme and commerical vessels. In retaliation, the IC, such as the US and UK have responded with military attacks near Houthi territory.
Natural Disaster:
In January the regions of Abyan, Al Hudaydah, Amram, Dharmar, Hadramaut, Ma'rit, Sana'a, Shabwah, and Ta'izz experienced flooding.
Tropical Cyclone Tej displaced thousands in the month of April. The heavy rain caused flooding on the Socotra Island, and in the regions of Al Mahrah, and Hadramawt.
In November the regions of Abyan, Al Bayda, Al Hudaydah, Dhamar, Ma'rib, Shabwah, Ta'izz and Hadramawt were effected with heavy rain and flooding.
Humanitarian:
Humanitarians continue to help the Yemenis people who live in, migrate to and from Yemen. The IDP's who remain in Yemen find refuge at a camp called Kharaz, in the Lahij region. Those not at this camp are scattered throughout other regions within Yemen. The country has over 71K refugees from other countries and between the months of May 2022 and June 2023 there have been thousands of migrants seeking refuge in Saudi Arabia.
GAZA
Conflict:
In the Gaza strip, since the Israeli-Palestinian battles in 2021 and the 2022 Gaza-Israeli war, Hamas and Israel have fought sporadically with various strikes by each throughout the year of 2023.
However, on October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel with over 2500 rockets causing over 1000 Israeli fatalities in one day and many taken captive. In retaliation, IDF have attacked various buildings, camps and hospitals, including Hamas' underground military tunnels and infrastructure in a quest for these Hamas strongholds and to rescue Israeli hostages. In October 2023, there have been thousands of Hamas rebels and civilian Palestians killed.
Natural Disaster:
In the month of December, since the war of Hamas-Israel, there has been heavy rain that has filtrated the areas of Palestinians refugee camps.
Humanitarian:
Many civilian Palestinians are in need of food, water and shelter, as the Hamas-Israeli war has indirectly affected the Palestinians causing them to flee to the various parts of the Gaza strip. According to humanitarian agencies, 85% of the 2.3 Palestinians that reside in Gaza are displaced because of the war. Humanitarian agencies state that trucks of food were halted from entering because of Israelis targets toward Hamas-Palestinians (aide was eventually delivered).
PHILIPPINES
Conflict:
There are many internal political and non-political fighting factions in southern Philippines that are vying for land in the Mindanao region. They are the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), the Abu Sayyaf Group, the New People's Army (CPP-NPA-NFD), including ISIL. Externally, they fight in the South China Sea.
The 47-year conflict between the Moro (Mindano) and the Philippines governance has continued, along with ISIS presence as late as 2014. The MNLF, MILF and the BIFF have camps, within Mindanao, Philippines. The MILF are an Islamic muslim group who have formed an autonomy within the region via a peace agreement, in 2014. The MNLF are also, an Islamic muslim enity who began their existence in 1970. They are working within the Mindanao to resolve a solution tof autonomy. The BIFF are a Islamic Jihadist group, who formed their own entity from the MILF. In addition, the National People Army is the communist regime who have formed guerilla type attacks, since 1969. They have captured 73 of the 81 provinces in Philippines. As of 2023, other external clashes from ISIL, who are aligned with Abu Sayyaf Group have launched explosives in Mindanao.
There are contentions with China. China wants to claim certain areas of the South China Sea and the Philippine governance disagrees with these areas of conquest by the Chinese.
Natural Disaster:
There are many earthquakes each year throughout the country of the Philippines. There were two high ranked earthquakes. In November, of 2023 there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 in Region XI and Region XII (Mindanao region), resulting in 11 deaths. In addition, there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 in the Mindanao area within the month of December, which caused 3 deaths.
In November, there was also, flooding in the lower area of in the city of Davao, in the Mindanao region. Overall, most of the flooding in December occured in Region XIII, in Caraga. The Region X and Region XII, was also affected, as they overlapped into the Carga area.
Humanitarian:
Throughout the year, there were territorical clashes, earthquakes and flooding that effect the country of Philippines. At the end of 2022, there were over 100K Filipinos that reside in Mindanao who were displaced because of conflict and violence.
The earthqauke of November, in Region XI and Region XII, in the Mindanao region of Philippines displaced thousands of Filipinos. In December, they also experienced a earthquake, in Region X and Region XI of the Mindanao Region, in which more than 401,0000 displaced.
A major flood caused the displacement of over 45,000 Filipinos on the 25th of December in the year of 2023. Of the 45,000 displaced 33,000 were from Region X, in the city of Gingoog.
Source:
(1) "Helicopter Image." Stockcake. Only the image is a derivitive work. Design by Vernika Monk.
Voice of America. VOANews. Public Domain (VOA articles)