NAIROBI, Kenya A United Nations special envoy appealed toSomalia's warlords Monday to protect the workers assigned to deliverfood to the starving country.
Mohamed Sahnoun issued his call a day after armed looters stoleabout 100 tons of food aid from the port of Kismayu.
Meanwhile, 34 U.S. military personnel arrived at the IndianOcean port of Mombasa to prepare to airlift 145,000 tons of food.
Tens of thousands - perhaps hundreds of thousands - of Somalianshave died from the combined effects of drought and warfare, and aidexperts say 1.5 million others could starve within weeks if food isnot delivered immediately.
By some estimates, almost half of the 88,000 tons of foodalready delivered to Somalia this year has been stolen. Four aidworkers have been killed and dozens assaulted or threatened.
Sahnoun urged warlords to resolve their differences through anational conference and disarm the thousands of young men who arekilling and looting for food.
The main warring factions are those of interim President Gen.Mohamed Ali Mahdi and rival Gen. Mohamed Farah Aideed, who havefought for power since dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted inJanuary, 1991.
Sahnoun won agreement from Ali Mahdi and Aideed last week forthe deployment of a 500-strong UN armed security force to guard foodshipments in the capital of Mogadishu. It is expected to arrivewithin two weeks.
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