The African Union has announced it will hold a donor summit in an attempt to raise money for the millions of drought-affected people in Somalia.

AU Deputy Chairman Erasmus Mwencha Monday said African heads of state, regional economic blocs and international organizations will gather in Addis Ababa on August 9.

The World Food Program says Somalia is the epicenter of the regional drought, which also has impacted millions in Kenya, Ethiopia and other Horn of Africa countries.

The U.N. recently declared a famine in two regions of southern Somalia and has warned that famine conditions could spread to other areas if aid does not get through.

The drought has forced hundreds of thousands of Somalis to flee their homes in search of food and water. Many have gone to camps in Mogadishu, while others have fled to crowded refugee camps in Kenya or Ethiopia.

African Union troops remain on the offensive in Somalia in an effort to ease the flow of food aid to the famine-stricken country.

A spokesman for the AU peacekeeping force, Paddy Akunda, tells VOA that troops are trying to capture a Mogadishu football stadium and other key areas controlled by the militant group al-Shabab.

Al-Shabab has denied that a famine is taking place and has banned many aid groups from operating in areas of southern and central Somalia under its rule.

Akunda says the AU offensive, launched Thursday, is designed to “widen the space for delivery of humanitarian aid.” Last week, the World Food Program began an emergency airlift of food into Mogadishu.

Akunda says four Ugandan soldiers have been killed since the AU offensive began. He says at least one of the soldiers' bodies was dragged through the streets Friday.

The U.N. has said 3.7 million Somalis are in need of emergency assistance. About 12 million people have been affected in the devastating drought across the Horn of Africa.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday it is distributing food to 162,000 people in central and southern Somalia.