* Pirates ply the east African coast
* Attacks hamper regional aid efforts
By Frank Nyakairu
NAIROBI, April 9 (Reuters) - Attacks
by pirates off Somalia are making it ever harder for the U.N. food agency
to deliver relief aid to the hungry in east Africa and the Horn of Africa,
the World Food Program (WFP) said on Thursday.
Piracy off Somalia escalated once again
with the capture of five vessels since the weekend, and the brief hijack
of a ship with 20 American crew. Its captain is still being held hostage
on a lifeboat. [ID:nNN0810184]
