For the first time in five years, a relief agency dedicated to refugees airlifted emergency aid into the Somali capital of Mogadishu on August 8, according to a spokesman.
The flight left from Dubai, United Arab Emirates with 31 metric tons (more than 34 US tons) of emergency supplies and arrived in Mogadishu on August 8, said Andy Needham from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The aid flight comes just days after Islamic insurgents fled Mogadishu after a heated battle with government and African Union forces. But the trip has nothing to do with improved security, Needham said.
The plane carried almost 2,500 emergency assistance packages. Each package contains an improvised tent sheet, sleeping mats, blankets, water containers and food utensils.
At least two more supply flights are in the pipeline. The next is due to land on August 11 and the third will include "high-energy biscuits."
On August 9, the White House announced that US President Barack Obama approved an additional US$105 million for relief efforts in the Horn of Africa.
About 100,000 Somalis have flocked to Mogadishu in search of food and potable water, which have disappeared in a devastating famine and drought, according to the UN. They join more than 370,000 internal refugees already in the capital in war-torn southern Somalia, many of whom also face hunger.
The aid organization says it needs US$145 million to cover operations through the end of the year, adding that it has received 45% of that amount so far.
The UN declared famine in five areas of southern Somalia in June, including Mogadishu. In all, about 12 million people in the Horn of Africa region need assistance. Somalia is the worst hit.
