2024 News
Awareness: Conflict, Humanitarianism and Natural Disaster
Design by: Vernika Monk (1)
UKRAINE​
Conflict: Russia has attacked, damaged and destroyed many Ukrainian buildings, homes and hospitals in cities, such as Kyiv and Kherson, including areas in the south and east of Ukraine. In addition, North Korea has aligned with Russia in these attacks into Ukraine, as of late 2024.
However, Ukraine has counter-attacked by targeting, destroying and damaging many Russian military vessels, storage and oil depots. These attacks include destroying key bridges, so that access to Russian military supplies are decreased. These attacks occured in Belgorod, Kursk and Rostov regions, in Russia, which are near the Ukraine-Russian border, in the east.
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As of February, the Ukrainian government has stated that there have been 31,000 Ukrainian forces casualties, and as of April 2024, there have been almost 10,000 civilian fatalities.​
Humanitarian: Humanitarian agencies have assisted millions of Ukrainians that have escaped the Russian-led war within Ukraine. As of February, there are over 6.5M Ukrainians refugees world-wide and of those 6M take refuge in EU countries. Other countries such as French Guinea has hosted less then 100k, while between 500K to 1M Ukrainians fled to Russia.
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In the country of Ukraine, there are at least 4M IDPs, in which humanitarian agencies seek to aid. The largest numbers are displaced in Dnipropetrovska, followed by Kharkivska, each with over 400K Ukrainian IDPs. The need for humanitarians agencies to supply aide to the Ukrainians continues to increase, however, the IC support for Ukraine remains constant from countries, such as the UK, and the US.​
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Natural Disaster: No Natural Disaster.
SOMALIA
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Conflict: The quest for territory in Somalia continues with traded attacks with Al-Shabab. ​In February, four people were killed in Mogadishu by a Al-Shabab bomber. Also, Somali governance struck the Al-Shabab military in central Somalia that caused at least 20 fatalities. Other warring and deaths continue to occur.
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Terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda have infiltrated the area, while in the Galgudud province.
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Conflict continues as Somliland agrees to provide access to Ethiopia along its' sea area, in Somalia, thus a probable build of a military base. Somaliland is not recognized by the Somali governance and discourages such collaborations. As of a result, Somalia's ally, Egypt, has shipped weapons to the Somalian government defense to counter Ethiopia, Somaliland and Al-Shabab. In addition, however, and Turkey seeks to mediate the tensions between Ethiopia.
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Humanitarian: As of late 2024, there are 3.5 million displaced Somalians, which has decreased from 3.8 million, in 2023. Drought, food insecurity, and flooding, cause many Somalians to flea to surrounding many countries such as Ethiopia (300K Somalian refugees), and Yemen (45K Somalians).
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As of March, the November flood waters have filtrated to the point of causing the cholera disease to spread throughout the regions of Mogadisha, Beleweyne, and Baidoa. This has casue 54 deaths.
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The Al-Shabab militant group attacked and seized a humanitarian helicopter that was in operation causing less distribution of aid.​ ​​
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As of July, there were migrate Somalians in a boat that capsized off the coast of Yemen. This event killed at least 49 people and 140 remain missing.
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Natural Disaster: Heavy rains that occurs regularly from what is called the Gu (March-April) has effected the areas of Mogdishia, Beleweyne, and Baidoa.
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T​he recent floods, in September caused cholera to breakout evernmore in the regions of Mogadisha, Beleweyne, and Baidoa from contaminated flood water.
YEMEN
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Conflict: The Yemen Iran-backed Houthis continue to strike vessels along the Red Sea route of commerce for shipping. US and UK forces have continued to intercept those strikes, however, several of the vessels have been struck, such as the UK bulk carrier on Feb. 18th. As a result of this strike, for many days the vessels leaked oil that was 18 miles long. As of March 3rd, the ship sank into the sea. In June, a Singapore vessel, called the Sounion was attacked in late August and remained on fire for days until it was extinguished. It was towed away mid-September. The Houthis have attacked over 80 vessels.
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These attacks are effecting the commerce of cargo, oil and other shipping along the corridor of the Red Sea.
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There have been counter-attacks from countries, such as the US, UK and Israel. They have struck their military storage areas and oil depots, in the attempt of stopping the Houthis terrorist attacks.
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Humanitarian: Humanitarian agencies state that there are over 4.5M IDPs' in Yemen as of February. In addtion, however, there are numerous countries who flee into Yemen, such as the 64% of the displaced from Somalia who flea persecution, natural disasters, or to seek better opportunities.
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The ongoing strikes, from the Houthis is disrupting the commerical, military and other forms of transport, including humanitarian aid, along the Red Sea corridor.
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Moreover, there have been 20 UN workers who have been held hostage by the Houthis, in which 9 have been taken captive, as of late.
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Natural Disaster: In August, flooding occured in the Al-Hudayduh region, including other areas, such as Al-Mahwit, which had landslides that destroyed infrastructure. There were reports of 24 missing and 45 Yemenis that have died.
GAZA
Conflict: Israel retaliation from the October 7th, 2023 attacks from Hamas, has continued the Hamas-Israeli war. As a result, it continues to effect the Palestinians that take refuge, in Gaza.
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However, in an effort to reduce casualites, as they seek Hamas, Israel has warned and redirected the Palestinians to flee toward the south of Gaza or towards other locations in Gaza. This is an ongoing tactic of Israel, which causes the Gazians to continuously uproot.
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Many countries have asked for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, as the casualites increase for Hamas and civilian Palestinians.
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Humanitarian: ​​​In February, there was an incident concerning humanitarian distribution, in Gaza, in which a stampede occured while people were lined up to receive food. This event killed over 18 people, which resulted in US intervention, in the form of a temporary pier to supply aid to the displaced Palestinians. As a result, by May, once the pier was complete, the US distributed 500 tons of supplies and food to the Gazians.
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In addtion, as these warring events progressed, there have been over 117.3 million Gazans displaced and of those, 800,000 are in the city of Rafa. Many are in need of housing, food and othe supplies. Also, according to reports, 69% of Gaza' s infrastructure is "destroyed or damaged," as of December 2024 many camps, buildings, and homes.
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Natural Disaster: No Natural Disasters
PHILIPPINES
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Conflict: In the Mindanao region, conflict continues in Bilar, La Castellana, and in the Mindanao region (Carmen, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Sultan sa Barongis, Mamasapano, Pagalungan, and Rajah Buayan). They continue to want independence from the Philippinian governance. ​
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Externally, in March, a Philippian military chartered vessel was hit by a Coast Guard Chinese (CCG) vessel in the northern area of the Philippines and as earlier as September the CCG has taunted the Philippines fishboats and vessels in the contested maritime area of the South China Sea. The conflct over territory, continues, as of 2024.
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In addition, the Philippians were indirectly involved in the Hamas-Israel war along the Red Sea, which caused the fatality of two Filipinos who were on a vessel (True Confidence), which was struck by the Houthis.
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Humanitarian: Flooding occured in the month of January and February. There were over 800,000 people in the southern regions of Mindanao and Davao de Oro province that were displaced.​
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There were several incidents of flooding in Region XI, a tornado in Region VI that affected over 150 people in the city of Zambonga City, in Region IX.
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In July, there was a typhoon storm called Gaemi, which came from the direction of China and Tiawan. The aftermath of the storm gradually spread into the north of the Philippines, making its' way to most of the Northern and Central areas of the Luzon province. This caused 600,000 people to be displaced.
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From the storm Yagi, in September, there were over 47,000 people displaced.
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Natural Disaster: In Febraury, in the Davao province of Mindanao, there were severe landslides. These earth moving events caused 54 deaths.​
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The July, Gaemi typhoon caused 20 casualties.
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In September, the storm Yagi, killed over 20 people, who were mostly affected in the Rizal and Luzon areas.
Source:​
(1) "Helicopter Image." Stockcake. Image is a derivitive work. Design by Vernika Monk