The World Food Program (WFP) said on Thursday that it was stepping up a drive to deliver food to almost 100,000 of the 365,000 people driven from their home in Mogadishu by the worst fighting in 16 years.

In a statement, the world's largest food agency said it has reached 32,000 Somalis in west Mogadishu,adding that it expects the number could quickly rise to as many as 150,000.

"Last week we reached 32,000 people west of Mogadishu, and we are now expanding our operations further west to Qoryoley, and south to Merka and Brava," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.

"Many people left the capital with virtually nothing but the clothes on their backs, they are now trickling back only to find their homes in ruins. The majority of those who fled the fighting are still suffering in terrible conditions outside the city,"Sheeran said.

WFP said distributions of food assistance are also being mounted to reach 13,500 people who fled to Brava, 220 km south of Mogadishu, and a second distribution to assist 32,000 displaced people around Afgoye, a town 30 km west of Mogadishu.

The agency is also urgently exploring ways to assist people inside Mogadishu itself.

The WFP on Wednesday airlifted 14 tons of urgently-needed non- food items to Baidoa, a donation from the Italian Government.

Items including blankets, plastic sheeting, water tanks, and water purification equipment were flown from the UN Humanitarian relief depot in Brindisi,Italy, a strategic hub of relief items managed by the WFP.

"We have to help these people now. Women, children and the elderly are sheltering from the rain under trees and cholera is spreading," Sheeran said.

"With heavy fighting having died down over the past few days and with the cooperation of the Transitional Federal Government,we can now accelerate food distributions and expand into new areas previously cut off," she added.

The UN refugee agency estimates 365,000 people have fled Mogadishu, over a third of the city's population since February 1.

Source: Xinhua