UN food agency investigates deadly shooting near food convoy in Somalia

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today began investigating a deadly shooting near one of its food convoys in central Somalia, in which at least one militiaman was killed and a number injured when gunmen attacked the convoy on the road to the town of Baidoa.

The 70-truck convoy was subcontracted to a local vendor and there were no WFP personnel involved, a UN spokesman told reporters today, while the UN’s food agency said the violence occurred after negotiations to obtain safe passage for the convoy around road-blocks had failed.

“In the ensuing exchange of fire at least one militiaman was killed and a number injured,” WFP said, expressing regret for the loss of life.

Baidoa is 250 kilometres west of Mogadishu, the capital of the violence-wracked Horn of Africa country that has been torn apart by factional fighting ever since the collapse of President Muhammad Siad Barre’s regime 15 years ago.

In February, clashes erupted in Mogadishu and pirate attacks against aid ships have hampered UN efforts to provide emergency food to those in need, including more than two million affected by the worst drought in a decade.

Last month, the UN almost doubled its appeal for humanitarian aid for the impoverished country to more than $300 million.