Jumatatu Posted September 12, 2005 NAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) -- Militia loyal to a warlord who gave refuge to Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf's fledgling government in Jowhar have taken over the offices of the U.N. children's agency (UNICEF) in the makeshift capital, disrupting humanitarian activities, a UN official said on Monday. UNICEF was operating several projects in Jowhar run by local staff following the evacuation of 13 international U.N. staff last week after militiamen arrived in Jowhar raising the potential for fighting between rival factions of the new Somali government. UNICEF's head of mission Christean Balslev-olesen told Reuters that Mohamed Omar Habeeb, a close ally of Yusuf and Jowhar's administration chairman, had ordered 18 UNICEF local staff to vacate their office and hand over the keys. "Yesterday Mohamed Dheere and his police took control of our compound and insisted that the staff hands over the key to him," Balslev-olesen said, referring to Habeeb's commonly used nickname of Mohamed Dheere. Somalia's transitional federal government is deeply split over where to base while security is restored in the anarchic Horn of Africa nation. One faction led by President Yusuf is in Jowhar and another in Mogadishu, leaving the 14th attempt to restore government Somalia since 1991 stuck in a stalemate that has grown acrimonious. Balslev-olesen said UNICEF programs in Jowhar included water, education, HIV/AIDS and youth projects. Copyright 2005 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
