The Islamist group of Al-Shabaab in Somalia on Monday banned the operation of three UN agencies from operating in the war-torn Horn of African nation, accusing them of being "enemies of Islam and Muslims", a statement from the group said.
"As of (20/7/2009), a number of NGOs and foreign agencies currently operating in Somalia will be completely closed down and considered enemies of Islam and Muslims. The current list is as follows: 1. UNDP, 2. UNDSS, 3. UNPOS," Al-Shabaab said in a statement released both in English and Somali.
The Islamist group, considered by the Somali government as a terrorist organization, controls much of the south and central Somalia and has been fighting the Somali government for the past two years.
The group said in the statement its decision was taken after " thorough research and due to an ongoing investigation into the actions and motives of many of the NGOs and foreign agencies currently in operation".
Al-shabaab said the UN agencies have been found to be working against the interests of the Somali Muslim population and against the establishment of an Islamic State in Somalia.
The Islmsit movement accused the UN agencies of "training and support for the apostate government and the training of its troops ", adding that some of the findings include evidence of such activities.
The Al-Shabaab statement also allege material support were given to what it termed as the "apostate militias" in Somalia's border regions "in hopes of destabilizing the regions and disrupting the safety and security that the Islamic administrations of those regions have accomplished by the permission of Allah".
The statement claim that the UN agencies helped raise nearly 250 million U.S. dollars for the Somali government in a gathering of the International Contact Group for Somalia held in Brussels last April.
The movement earlier this year closed down the offices of two American aid agencies, Care International and the International Medical Corps, accusing them of "participation in activities against Islam".
Al-Shabaab also announced the opening of a new office known as the Office for Supervising the Affairs of Foreign agencies and called all NGOs and foreign agencies operating in Somalia to immediately contact it.
"This office has been set up to coordinate all dealings with NGOs and foreign agencies and to fully monitor them," the statement said.
(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2009)
