The United Nations and two international aid charities have called for urgent assistance to be sent to the Sahel region of west and central Africa.

They say 29 million people there need help, including 1.6 million children suffering from severe malnutrition.

Attacks by Islamist militia have created what the UN called unparalleled insecurity and displaced 5.5 million people.

Food prices have soared and hunger has risen to its highest level in roughly a decade.

Six countries are affected - Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and parts of Nigeria and Cameroon.