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Kenya Allows Blocked Food Aid Into Somalia


The U.N. food program says Kenya has allowed about 60 of its trucks to cross into Somalia after a wait of several weeks.

The World Food Program said Friday the trucks were allowed to cross the border this week following appeals from the international community.

The agency says there are still about 80 food trucks on the border and it hopes they will be allowed to cross soon.

Kenya closed its border with Somalia in January during fighting that pitted Islamic militia against Somali government troops and their Ethiopian allies.

However, the World Food Program says it was able to send food trucks into Somalia until recently.

The food that just crossed the border is intended for tens of thousands of people in Somalia's Gedo region, where malnutrition rates are at emergency levels.

Piracy in Somalia's waters has restricted the movement of relief vessels and forced aid agencies to use overland routes.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

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