Latest update: 17/07/2011 

- aid - food aid - Horn of Africa - Natural disaster - Somalia


UN makes first aid airlift to drought-stricken Somalia

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The United Nations said Sunday it had delivered its first supplies of food and medicine to Somalia after hardline Islamist rebels lifted an aid ban. The entire Horn of Africa is suffering from the effects of one of the worst droughts in decades.

By Oliver FARRY (video)
News Wires (text)
 

AFP - The United Nations has made its first aid delivery to a rebel-held Somalia region after the insurgents lifted a ban on the operations of foreign aid agencies, a spokeswoman told AFP on Sunday.            

The UN children agency airlifted five metric tonnes of food and medicines for malnourished children to Baidoa, a town in central Somalia under the control of the Al Qaeda-inspired Shebab rebels.
             
"It was successful and it was a good step towards airlifting supplies into Somalia. It is the first in two years," said Iman Morooka, the UNICEF spokeswoman for Somalia.
             
Morooka said the Shebab "have given approval and gave unhindered access, and it was smooth operation".
             
The delivery was made on Wednesday and UNICEF said it was ready to take more supplies to southern and central regions of Somalia controlled by the hardline rebels.
             
The Shebab on July 6 appealed for help for thousands of people devastated by a severe drought that has hit the Horn of Africa region, saying they would allow aid through to their fiefdoms.
             
Two years ago, the Shebab expelled foreign aid groups, accusing them of being Western spies and Christian crusaders, and imposed draconian rules on the operations of relief groups.
             
Last week, the World Food Programme, which pulled out from southern Somalia in early 2010, said it was considering resuming operations in the area.

 

Date created : 17/07/2011 
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Somalia secret prisson

by Watching France24 (not verified) - 17/07/2011 - 19:20

Missed the link about the French agents in Mogandishu in my earler post.

Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkYUosydkHE

at 4:20 (min:sec)

Somalia secret prisson

by Watching France24 (not verified) - 17/07/2011 - 19:16

Jeremy Scahill who recently wrote about CIA secret sites in Somalia makes a reference to French secret service presence in Mogandishu?

Can you confirm this?

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