On 29 October, two UN staff members working in Hargeisa, the capital of the self-declared republic of Somaliland , were killed following a suicide bombing at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) compound.

Photo: Jason Gutierrez/IRIN

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

In early October, two Somali staff members working for UN aid agencies – one for the World Food Programme (WFP) and the other for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) – were shot dead in separate incidents.

In his statement, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki moon said he was "deeply concerned about the worsening trend of killings and abductions of aid workers in Somalia", and called upon all parties "to respect the neutral and impartial status of humanitarian staff, and to allow them to do their work bringing vital life-saving assistance to millions of Somalis".

The spate of killings and kidnappings is forcing many aid workers and civil society activists to lie low, said the aid worker.

"There is so much fear that no one wants to take a chance. We are wondering when it will be our time. You cannot help anyone when you are worrying about your own safety," he added.

The worsening state of security, particularly in the capital Mogadishu and south-central Somalia , has hindered the work of local and international aid agencies trying to assist tens of thousands of people affected by the conflict.

The UN estimates that 2.6 million Somalis need assistance. That number is expected to reach 3.5 million by the end of the year.

Since fighting between Ethiopian-backed Somali forces and insurgents began in early 2007, about one million Somalis have fled their homes. Some 8,000 civilians have been killed.

Source: IRIN