At least 26 million people are struggling for food following consecutive poor rainfall seasons in the Horn of Africa.

Drought conditions in northern Kenya, much of Somalia and southern Ethiopia are predicted to persist until at least mid-2022, putting lives at risk.

The situation is already so bad that wild animals are dying in their hundreds and herders are reporting losses of up to 70% of their livestock.

The BBC’s senior Africa correspondent Anne Soy reports from Wajir in northern Kenya.

WARNING: This video contains images of dead animals which some people may find distressing.

- Video -

(CNN)Driving through a snow-capped mountain pass, the young mother huddles together with her six children in the backseat of a car after leaving their makeshift camp in northwestern Afghanistan.

Carrying only a blanket for warmth, 9-year-old Parwana Malik balances on her mother's lap beside her siblings, as the family is rescued by an aid group that saves girls from child marriage.

"I am really happy," Parwana said during the journey. "The (charity) rid me from my husband and my husband is old."

Last month, CNN reported that Parwana and several other underage girls were being sold by their fathers so other members of their families could eat.

At the time, Parwana's father Abdul Malik said she cried day and night before, begging him not to sell her, saying she wanted to go to school and study instead.

After an international outcry as a result of CNN's story, Parwana was returned to her family due to the backlash from the community against the buyer.

The United States-based non-profit Too Young to Wed (TYTW) had also got involved to relocate the girls, their siblings and their mothers to a safe house.

"This is a temporary solution," said Stephanie Sinclair, the founder of TYTW. "(But) really what we're trying to do is prevent girls being sold into marriage."

- More -