Haiti Violence Fears Lift, U.S. Troops Help Deliver Aid

[elleng]

Fears of violence and looting eased in earthquake-devastated Haiti as U.S. troops provided security for water and food aid deliveries, and thousands of displaced Haitians heeded the government's advice to seek shelter outside Port-au-Prince.

Medical care, handling of corpses, shelter, water, food and sanitation remain the priorities for the international operations, U.N. relief officials said a week after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked Haiti.

While military escorts are still needed to deliver relief supplies, the United Nations said security problems were mainly in areas considered "high risk" before the January 12 quake. Some 4,000 criminals escaped from damaged prisons soon after the temblor hit.

"The overall security situation in Port-au-Prince remains stable, with limited, localized violence and looting occurring," the U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/01/20/news/news-us-quake-haiti.html?pagewanted=1