(ERGO) – Thousands of families displaced from their homes in the mountains of Puntland by the ongoing war against ISIS are unable to feed themselves in their new location, as they were forced to abandon their livelihoods in the villages they fled.
Sareda Isman Iilmi’s family of 14 fled the deadly conflict between Puntland forces and ISIS (Daesh) in Turmasale, a remote area in the Almiskad mountains of Bari region. They now live on the outskirts of Timirshe, where they have no relatives or jobs to find alternative income.
According to a recent assessment by the Puntland authorities, Sareda’s family is among nearly 40,000 families in total, including pastoralists and vulnerable individuals, displaced between March and April by the continuing conflict pitting Puntland forces – supported by foreign air strikes – against ISIS known, locally as Daesh.
Sareda said the conflict came at a time when they were already suffering from the impact of severe drought in Bari region and they don’t have enough to eat.
“You know the difficulties of displacement – we left behind schools, livestock, businesses, and our land. We ran from where bullets were flying and people were being killed, but now the most severe problem is food,” she told Radio Ergo.
She explained how she had a small tea shop making $3 to $4 daily in Turmasale. She also used to collect frankincense on the slopes to sell for $5. The income was enough to support the family. Her husband, bedridden for two years with a nerve disorder, leaves her as the sole provider.
“We can face the heat but the cold is the most stressful and we were made homeless during the coldest period. During the day, we rest under trees. At night, we share a single makeshift hut given by local residents. We thank the people of Timirshe for welcoming us even though they are not much better off than us.”
Sareda said they miss their own three stone roomed house where they had a kitchen and water source.
Her son was killed by ISIS militia while collecting frankincense, leaving her worried about his four children who are now out of school. They were in grades three, four, five and 10, paying $50 monthly fees Turmasale school. She cannot afford to send them to the local private schools where they are now.
Safiya Ali Mire, a mother of eight, was also displaced in March from Daray-Madobe, one of the areas most affected by the fighting. She arrived in Timirshe with nothing, no food, water, or shelter.
“I had a small shop where I sold groceries and cooked food,” she said. “That was our only income. The conflict destroyed all my goods worth about $600.
“Our situation is desperate. We are dependent on others. Food is scarce – we get meagre meals once a day because the family we are staying with is also poor.”
Water is a major challenge for the displaced families, with a jerrycan costing 20 US cents.
“We fetch one container daily from a hand-dug well that’s a 20-minute walk away. Sometimes, that well dries up for days. The water levels have dropped because so many displaced people are using it. Sometimes we wait for water for several days, and then we’re told there is none. We can’t get it when we want because it requires payment.”
Safiya pointed out that they are new to the area and unfamiliar with anyone who could offer them credit or support.
Her family left behind 15 goats as they couldn’t travel the 170 kilometres distance during the dry season and they couldn’t find transport for them. Some relatives helped her reach Timirshe, but many others came in the same vehicle all facing similar hardship. Three of her children in grades five, six and seven, have not been in school since December 2024.
Thousands of families like these have fled the Almiskad mountains since last December to escape the war.
A member of the Puntland government-appointed assessment team, Said Absi Mohamed, said their recent survey revealed that conditions remained extremely difficult in the area.
“The situation we found was very bad, as people were already suffering from drought. This year’s rains were poor and that made it hard for locals to help each other.
“We do not have the capacity to set up a formal camp, so we encourage local families to take in displaced relatives or neighbours,” he told Radio Ergo.
He added that humanitarian organisations and the government had been informed of the crisis but resources remained limited.
“This conflict has gone on for over six months, and the dry season made things worse. People were already struggling and now they must survive without their farms, livestock, or livelihoods.”
