London BBC World Service “African News” program (in English) — 0730 GMT

The relief organization Medecin Sans Frontieres [Doctors Without Borders] says it is sending an airliner with a medical team and supplies to the Somali capital Mogadishu. Fighting continued there yesterday for the sixth day running and Medecin Sans Frontieres says according to its latest information, there are many casualties.

The relief group has appealed to both sides to observe a 12-hour truce to allow the transfer of the volunteer team and supplies to Mogadishu hospital. Previous Italian efforts to secure a truce to allow the evacuation of foreign nationals failed.

Correspondents say a new call by President Siad Barre yesterday for peace talks in the presence of Italian and Egyptian observers is unlikely to be accepted by the rebel United Somali Congress.

_{FBIS-AFR-91-004, 7 Jan. 1991, p. 11}