French navy deters Somali pirates

Two ships carrying food aid to Somalia was escorted by the French navy to deter possible attacks from pirates.

The waters off the war-torn country are among the most dangerous in the world. Twenty-six ships, including three carrying food aid, have been attacked this year. In 2007, about 580,000 Somalis have fled their homes due to increased conflict. The country has also been ravaged by drought. The ships transported 3,650 metric tons of food aid from the Kenyan port of Mombasa to Merka, 100 km (60 miles) south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. France says it will continue its escort operation for two months. World Food Programme Executive Director, Josette Sheeran says that piracy has damaged their ability to reach Somalia's most vulnerable people and they cannot tackle this challenge alone and are grateful to those helping to protect their ships. The attacks have led the WFP to transport some food to Somalia by road, which is far more expensive.

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