Children are said to face starvation

Thousands of children face starvation as violence continues around southern Somalia, the health minister and UNICEF said.

Health Minister Isse Weheliye said that "thousands of children are on the verge of death."

UNICEF said a recent malnutrition survey showed that 83,000 children in central and southern Somalia were suffering from malnutrition -- 13,500 of whom were at risk of starvation.