Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
Somali Islamist group Al-shabaab has ordered the World Food Programme (WFP) to immediately stop importing relief items into Somalia. The group accused the aid agency of destroying local agriculture on Wednesday.
The UN agency is a major player in the international response to emergency in the country. About 3.76 million Somalis need emergency aid while the most of that people stay in central and southern regions.
A statement from Al-shabaab rebels said the WFP should purchase food from Somali farmers to distribute. "WFP must refrain from bringing food rations from outside Somalia," it said.
The UN agency is yet to comment on the issue.
The Al-shabaab hardliners linked to Al-Qaeda controls most of southern Somalia while the weak Somali government backed by western countries runs only a little of the country.
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