Sri Lanka, June 6 -- The ongoing political and military crisis in the Middle East could push an additional 1.3 million people in Sri Lanka into severe food insecurity, according to a new report released by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The report warns that millions worldwide are increasingly facing hunger and food shortages as a result of the escalating crisis.

The WFP noted that rising global prices of fuel, fertiliser, and food-driven by instability in the Middle East-have had a direct impact on vulnerable populations in poorer countries. Nations such as Sri Lanka, which are still recovering from prolonged economic difficulties, are considered particularly exposed to these shocks.

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