Somalia faces starvation as pirates attack food aid ships
Updated on 18 July 2008
Somalia is held to ransom as pirates bring food aid to a halt, but why is the international community failing to protect the food ships?
More than half the population are in desperate need of food, but supplies are being blocked by pirates and thieves.
The UN's world food programme said millions of Somalis could soon be at risk of starvation, without naval escorts to protect their shipments of aid.
The WFP has 80,000 tonnes of food urgently waiting to be dispatched. Until last month Dutch warships provided vital protection, but despite appeals to other countries including Britain, there's still been no offer of help.
