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Mogadishu, Somalia, December 19, 2009 — Somalia's Al
Qaeda-linked Shabaab overran and looted UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS)
compounds in the western town of Baidoa, humanitarian sources and
witnesses said Friday.
Heavily-armed Shabaab fighters stormed three UNMAS compounds in Baidoa,
a city which lies 250 kilometers (155 miles) west of Mogadishu, on
Thursday.
"They took the computers and every piece of equipment they could find,"
a local elder, who asked to be named only as Ahmed, told AFP. "We tried
to stop the looting but the Shabaab wouldn't listen."
A UN employee speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the looting.
Both sources said foreign jihadi fighters were among the attackers.
The raid took place on the same day that the Shabaab's "office for
supervising the affairs of foreign agencies" announced it was banning
the UN mine-clearing organization.
The Islamist group accused UNMAS of spying charging it had been
"surveying and signposting some of the most vital and sensitive areas
under the control of the mujahideen (holy warriors)."
A UN official speaking on condition of anonymity said Thursday's
attackers made away with three fully-equipped ambulances, as well as
valuable radio equipment.
In July, Shabaab fighters had already looted compounds run by three
different UN agencies and made away with several vehicles, at least one
of which was later used to carry out a suicide car bomb attack.
Source: AFP, Dec 18, 2009
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