The deployment followed the recent killings of 14 Kenyan Pokots by Ugandan Matheniko warriors. The Pokots had crossed into Uganda in search of food for themselves and water and pasture for their cattle. The official also denied press reports that nearly 5,000 Pokots could still be stranded in Uganda after the attack. Poor dry season rainfall over large areas of the Bakol region had led to extreme crop losses almost everywhere, representing the seventh consecutive poor harvest in the area. FSAU and FEWS both confirmed reports of recent food-related human deaths.
Malnutrition is widespread and increasing.
The resumption of food deliveries to the region was urgently needed to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe, it pointed out. Food convoy destined for Bakol ambushed A food convoy destined for the southern region of Bakol was ambushed and one of the vehicles hit a landmine over the weekend, resulting in a number of deaths. After the ambush, the convoy took a different route but one of the trucks hit an anti-tank mine, with more loss of life. According to a BBC report, a total of least 20 people are believed to have been killed including militiamen security personnel and civilians caught in crossfire. Representatives of the UNCT told a news conference in Addis Ababa that current conditions in Ethiopia gave great cause for concern.