Garowe Online (Garowe)
27 October 2009
Garbaharey — Islamist hardliners in southern Somalia have shut down a local aid group for allegedly 'spying' to Western governments, Radio Garowe reports.
The Somali aid agency ASEP operates in Beled Hawo, a town located along the Somali-Kenya border in Gedo region.
"Our fighters are at the office and our plan is to stop their activities," said a commander of Al Shabaab insurgents who control the town.
This unidentified commander said ASEP "handed information" to countries where they receive donations, which are all Western nations.
A member of ASEP, ASEP assists rural towns in Gedo region, told reporters that they were ordered to stop working on Monday by Al Shabaab fighters and the aid workers "accepted" the order.
Al Shabaab insurgents have previously shut down CARE, MSF and MercyCorps aid groups.
Over the weekend, two men were publicly executed in Marka town, Lower Shabelle region, by Al Shabaab firing squad after an Al Shabaab court "convicted" them of spying.
Al Shabaab is controls many regions in south-central Somalia and most of Mogadishu. The group, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and Australian governments, has vowed to overthrow the UN-backed Somali interim government.
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