ICAR

Somalis

Somalia’s internal crisis has intensified in recent years, creating widespread population displacement.

Significant events have included June 2006, when the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) took control of the capital, Mogadishu; the recapturing of Mogadishu by Ethiopian-backed Somali forces opposing the UIC in December 2006; the US bombardment of suspected Al Qaeda targets in the South of the country in January 2007; and the deployment of African Union troops and clashes between insurgents and Ethiopian troops, particularly in Mogadishu.

The fighting has added to the official IDP population which currently stands at 400,000 according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Given the current media attention and in light of the country’s long historical association with the United Kingdom, an ICAR briefing on Somalia and the Somali community within the UK is timely.

The briefing aims to complement ICAR’s report by Hermione Harris on 'the Somali Community in the UK ' , which provides a broader overview of this subject.

Last Updated: 26/01/10

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