U.N. to Airdrop Food in Somali Rural Areas

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The United Nations plans to start airdropping food Friday to remote rural areas of Somalia, a new phase in the relief effort to keep starving villagers from flooding the cities.

The first beneficiaries of the airdrops will be the southwest villages of Tigieglo and El-Garas, Tom Lecato, an American in charge of the U.N. World Food Program, said Wednesday.

Food deliveries have been increasing to Somalia, where 2 million people face starvation.