London, 25 July. - (ANA) - International agencies and humanitarian missions to southern Somalia face increased security challenges as a result of food shortages and heightened militant activity by Al Shabab as the end of Ramadan approaches, according to Edinburgh International, the risk and security assessment consultancy.

In its latest briefing on Somalia, the Group says the situation is potentially as bad for agencies as during the famine of 2011.

Combined African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISON) and Somalia National Army (SNA), and local militia operations in restive areas, have failed to blunt Al Shabab, which is conducting regular armed assaults - including the hit-and-run assassination this week of a well-known woman MP - and IED attacks in major cities and the emerging conflict frontier of northern Kenya.

Hit and run attacks of this nature now occur about twice a day (the majority targeting Somali Armed Forces patrols) in almost all neighbourhoods of the city, making key highways vulnerable to attack and posing further threats to aid convoys heading to the stricken southern regions. - (ANA)

AB/ANA/ 25 july 2014  - - -