The World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday warned that a new spate of piracy threatened to strangle its main supply routes to Somalia as it resumes food distributions in the Horn of African nation.

In a statement issued in Nairobi, WFP said it hopes to reach 122,500 people either driven from war-infested Mogadishu or who had recently returned during the second round of food distribution.

"We are expanding our distributions to the displaced -- many of whom are women and children --with this round of distributions, which means WFP should be reaching 80 percent of the 150,000 we plan to feed," said Peter Goossens, WFP Somalia Country Director in Nairobi.

"But just when we are reaching more people, incidents of piracy against ships off Somalia are again on the rise and are threatening to cut the fastest and most efficient way -- by sea -- to move large amounts of food assistance to the needy in Somalia during this crisis," he said.

Goossens' statement came as Somali pirates are holding two South Korean and one Taiwanese vessels which were hijacked early this week.

"In the hope of enriching themselves, these pirates are very cruelly playing with the lives of the most vulnerable women and children who had to leave their homes because of fighting," said Goossens.

"We appeal to the Somali authorities to act to stop these pirates before they cause more misery both to the crew of hijacked ships and to the people who rely on WFP food for their survival," he added.

Pirates have hijacked at least nine ships off Somalia this year, including three in the past week alone. Several unsuccessful attacks have also been reported recently.

In 2005, a similar spate of piracy in Somali waters, including the hijacking of two WFP-chartered vessels, forced the agency to suspend all deliveries of food assistance by sea to Somalia for weeks.

Since the beginning of last month, WFP has distributed food to 114,000 displaced people and returnees.

Source: Xinhua