On The Road to Bardera and Points East

RUNNING TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE BY THEIR own reckoning, U.S.-led forces in Somalia began moving into the final four of the eight towns where distribution - of food and supplies will be centered. From secure bases in those towns, military patrols and relief workers will fan out to feed the starving in the southern Somalian countryside. On the road to one of the centers, Bardera, a land mine caused the first American casualties: a civilian Army employee was killed, and three State Department security personnel were wounded.

U.S. commanders said their troops were moving faster than expected because there had been no opposition from Somali clan militias and armed gangs. Under an agreement with clan leaders, their heavy weapons -- trucks and jeeps mounted with cannon and machine guns -- are withdrawing from towns the multinational force controls.

George Bush, who will visit the troops in Somalia over the New Year holiday, still hopes to begin pulling U.S. soldiers out soon, but U.N. Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali is resisting. In a report to the Security Council last week, he said he was not convinced the force had created the necessary "secure environment" for aid operations.