Increased violence in Somalia, U.N. says

GENEVA, Switzerland, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A top U.N. official says the increased violence in Somalia has led to the displacement of 1 million people.

Jennifer Pagonis of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said approximately 600,000 people have fled the Somalia capital of Mogadishu, while the city is now home to an estimated 43,000 internally displaced people, a 10,000 increase from a week ago. Pagonis is warning that as conditions on the ground continue to worsen, the number of refugees will increase, the United Nations reported.

"At the same time, estimates on the number of IDPs (internally displaced people) living in increasingly desperate conditions in more than 60 makeshift settlements along the stretch of road linking Mogadishu and the nearby town of Afgooye have shot up to nearly 200,000 -- a 50 percent increase in the past two weeks alone," Pagonis said in a statement.

Officials say the refugees are lacking proper shelter and children are malnourished and without healthcare.

"Although IDPs express confidence in security in the Afgooye area, we are increasingly worried about security incidents there in the last several days," Pagonis said.