Somalia: Al-Shabaab bans 16 aid agencies

Somalia: Al-Shabaab bans 16 aid agencies over allegations of "political
bias"
"The list of groups banned outright included the United Nations children's
agency, Unicef, and other UN bodies, the British charity Concern and groups
from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Sweden."

Surely the Saudis and other wealthy Islamic states will be there any minute
to fill that gap and help their brethren with their vast oil wealth.

(Sound of crickets)

"Somalia's al-Shabab militants close UN aid offices," from BBC News,
November 28:

Al-Shabab fighters have closed down several aid agencies working in
famine-hit Somalia, including some from the UN, accusing them of political
bias.
Militants stormed aid offices in the towns of Baidoa and Beledweyne, which
like many southern areas are controlled by al-Shabab, witnesses say.
By controlling the flow of aid, al-Shabaab controls who lives and who dies.

Al-Shabab has long restricted the work of international aid groups but on
Monday banned 16 groups outright.
Years of conflict mean Somalia is worst hit by the East African drought.
The lack of rain is said to be the worst in 60 years.
The list of groups banned outright included the United Nations children's
agency, Unicef, and other UN bodies, the British charity Concern and groups
from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Sweden.
Unicef spokesman Jaya Murthy told the BBC a group of men, suspected to
belong to al-Shabab, occupied their offices in Baidoa and ordered staff to
leave.
"They just said they [Unicef staff] should go home immediately and our
office is now their office," Mr Murthy told the BBC's Focus on Africa
programme.
The al-Shabab statement accused the groups of exaggerating the scale of
the problems in Somalia for political reasons and to raise money.
'Risk of death'
It also alleges that the agencies are working with church groups trying to
convert vulnerable Muslim children and opposing al-Shabab's attempts to
impose Sharia law....