
Many people displaced by this year's fighting depend on food aid
The UN says it has stopped distributing food in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, after government troops abducted the local head of the World Food Programme.
The WFP says about 60 soldiers stormed the UN compound and no explanation has been given for Idris Osman's detention.
On Monday, the WFP started distributing food in Mogadishu through mosques, with the agreement of the regional governor.
Correspondents say the arrest may be linked to the power struggle between the president and his prime minister.
The mayor of Mogadishu, who gave the WFP permission to distribute food, is close to Prime Minster Ali Mohammed Ghedi.
The security services that arrested Mr Osman are the president's men.
Unrest since the ousting of Islamists by Ethiopian-backed troops in December has displaced thousands of people in and around the capital.
The BBC's Africa editor Martin Plaut says since control of food aid is a key weapon in winning popular support, whoever was seen to control the aid was in a powerful position.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia has summoned Mr Ghedi to Addis Ababa in what is believed to be an attempt to end the stalemate that is paralysing the Somali government.
No comments:
Post a Comment