U.S. to Airlift 3,000 More U.N. Troops to Somalia to Protect Relief Efforts

WASHINGTON — The Bush Administration has agreed to airlift 3,000 more U.N. troops to Somalia to protect relief operations, the State Department said Tuesday, as officials considered further steps to deal with a worsening tragedy in that African country.

The U.S. decision, which was transmitted recently to U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, was made public as U.S. relief organizations said they may be unable to continue working in Somalia unless security improves.

At a news conference here, spokespersons for the relief organizations said the situation in Somalia has deteriorated in the last two months despite international relief efforts, and they complained about a lack of security for the transportation and distribution of food supplies rather than a scarcity of food itself.

Earlier, gunmen from one of Somalia’s rival clans shelled a U.N. ship carrying wheat as it tried to enter the port of Mogadishu, forcing the ship to turn back.

The port had been closed since Nov. 7 when another aid ship was fired upon.

U.N. officials have been negotiating with clan leaders in Somalia to obtain approval to dispatch 3,000 troops drawn from Belgium, Canada and Egypt to augment 500 Pakistani troops already on the ground.

The State Department expressed U.S. willingness to airlift the troops to the area, if and when the United Nations approves the deployment.