UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The head of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) Monday expressed shock and sadness at the killing of one of the agency's staff members in southern Somalia, which has witnessed a spate of attacks on aid workers in recent months.

　　The WFP says the details about the death of Somali national Abdulkadir Diad Mohamed, who joined the agency as an administration and finance assistant in June, are still being gathered.

　　However, it adds that all indications are that Mohammed was abducted by unidentified armed men and killed after trying to escape.

　　"I am shocked by this senseless and barbaric attack on one of our staff," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues."

　　Mohamed, 33, is believed to have been killed sometime Friday, while on an off-duty weekend visit to his home in Dinsor from his duty station in Wajid. The driver of the vehicle in which he was traveling, who was not a WFP staff member, is also understood to have been killed, while a third member of the group managed to escape.

　　The WFP says this is the first violent death of a WFP staff member in Somalia since 1993, although five drivers employed by WFP contractors have been killed since the start of the year. It does not believe Mohamed's death is related to recent targeted attacks on aid workers in Somalia.

　　The WFP is expanding its operation to feed 2.4 million people by the end of the year in Somalia, where conflict, drought, inflation and rising food and fuel prices have led to an increase in the number of people requiring humanitarian assistance.