NAIROBI, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Over 50 aid agencies working in Somalia on Monday decried the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis unfolding in Somalia and called on warring parties to cease-fire to allow unhindered relief supplies to the affected populations.

The organizations said the number has increased dramatically over the past year due to the destructive combination of extreme insecurity, drought and record-high food prices, warning that the situation is expected to deteriorate further with ordinary Somalis bearing the brunt of the cost.

"Despite the ongoing political process we have not witnessed any lessening of the violence that continues to have a horrendous impact on civilians," the relief agencies said in a statement.

In the last few weeks, renewed shelling in Mogadishu has displaced approximately 37,000 civilians from their homes.

Over the past nine months, 870,000 have fled for their lives. A total of 1.1 million people are currently displaced in Somalia today.

 "We are appalled by the indiscriminate and disproportional use of force by all armed parties to the conflict, which is further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis," he said.

 The organizations said the poorest of Mogadishu 's residents have no means to flee the extreme violence and have limited means to earn a living leaving them completely dependent on humanitarian assistance.

 "This while the average Somali has seen price increases for food and water of up to 1,000 percent, plunging many into worsening poverty. One in six children under five, or approximately 180,000 children, is acutely malnourished in South and Central Somalia," he said.

 Aid workers are increasingly the victims of assassination and kidnapping and are now seen as legitimate targets.

 "This year alone 24 aid workers, of which 20 are Somali nationals, have been killed whilst carrying out their work. The whereabouts of another ten are unknown. There have been 111 reported security incidents directly targeting aid agencies," the agencies said.

"National and international aid agencies are prevented from responding effectively to the needs of ordinary Somalis because of violence and severely limited access," they said.

The relief agencies called on parties to the conflict to allow aid agencies unhindered access to Somalis who are in desperate need of emergency assistance.

"The international community has completely failed Somali civilians. We call on the international community to make the protection of Somali civilians a top priority now," the agencies said.

SOURCE: Xinhua, Monday, October 06, 2008