UN condemns arrest of Somali official

A United Nations food aid agency official has been arrested after dozens of armed security agents stormed a UN compound in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

Idris Osman, the Somali head of the UN’s World Food Programme operation in the city, was “safe and well” but would remain in detention pending the outcome of an investigation, said General Mohamed Warsame Darwish, head of Somalia’s intelligence service.

The UN agency’s executive director, Josette Sheeran, condemned Osman’s detention and called on Somalia’s government to help protect aid workers.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the continued detention of WFP staff by the security forces.

“It has become extremely difficult for us to feed hundreds of thousands of hungry people in Mogadishu and throughout Somalia.”

The agency said telephone contact had been made with Osman, who had said he was unhurt.

But Osman’s condition could not be independently confirmed and it was not known if he spoke under duress to his colleagues.

Darwish, who did not reveal why Osman was being held, said: “We are treating him very well.”