Muslim aid agency is banned by al-Shabaab

Somalia’s al-Shabaab militants have banned a Muslim aid agency from areas under their control, which would deprive 1.3 million people of food, water and healthcare if carried out.

Islamic Relief, one of the few international aid agencies able to work in al-Shabaab-run areas, said it had not been notified by the rebels that its permit had been revoked. It said a ban would also threaten access to areas under government control.

Faced with a military offensive by African Union and Somali forces, the al-Qaeda-linked insurgents have pulled out of a number of urban strongholds. However, they still hold sway over vast rural areas where central and regional government has minimal control.

Al-Shabaab yesterday accused the humanitarian organisation of working with other relief groups it had already expelled.

“Islamic Relief was found to be covertly extending the operations of banned organisations, particularly WFP,” al-Shabaab said, referring to the UN’s World Food Programme.

Iftikhar Ahmed Shaheen, Islamic Relief’s regional director, said: “We have no programme as far as I am aware that is funded by WFP. We will try and engage with [al-Shabaab] through our local teams and try to explain our organisation’s policies in a better way.”