Somali president wants aid airlift for towns retaken from rebels

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia needs help airlifting basic supplies to towns recently retaken by African Union-led forces because Islamist insurgents who were driven out from those areas are blocking aid convoys, the president told Reuters in an interview.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused the Al Shabaab militants of trying to create food shortages in newly "liberated areas" to turn locals against the state - and said the aid would show people the benefit of returning to government control.