Somalia: Islamists call humanitarians to act freely

The radical Islamist group Shebab, who controls most of central and southern Somalia,

•    called Sunday for international humanitarian organizations to come help the thousands of people threatened by hunger because of drought.
  
  
    We declare that humanitarian organizations can operate freely to help thousands of people in the drought-stricken areas, said the commander Sheikh Mokhtar Robow Shebab to reporters.
  
      We appreciate the way they have helped people in the past and we hope they continue, he added.
  
      Humanitarian workers are frequently targeted by gunmen in Somalia, a country plagued by civil war since 1991, when nearly 3.25 million people, almost half the population, need help.
  
      Frequent kidnappings complicate the issue of humanitarian assistance to those most affected.
  
      On 16 March, four UN workers were kidnapped in southern Afghanistan before being released several hours later. Since August 2008, four employees of the World Food Program (WFP) were killed in Somalia.
      
      
  Ennaharonline/ AFP