Somalia: Al-Shabaab warns people of AMISOM hospitals 13 Oct 13, 2010 - 12:07:21 PM
Somalia’s hardline insurgent group has warned people from visiting hospitals ran by African Union mission in Somalia AMISOM.
Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hussein, the group’s representative in Mogadishu told reporters that AMISOM hospitals give people medicines that can spread killer diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
“We are warning people against visiting AMISOM hospitals, because they are giving out drugs that can spread killer diseases such as AIDS,” he said.
He pointed that a Kampala-based agency called AUC, which donate drugs to AMISOM Hospitals has hidden agendas of spreading AIDS in the war-torn country.
“Its agenda is to secretly spread the virus among the people of Somalia, so that after 10 years will have a sick society,” he added.
On the other hand, Sheikh Ali warned that anybody found having close links with the peacekeepers will be sentenced to death, adding that the mission is “the number one enemy.”
Meanwhile, AMISOM spokesman Maj. Barigye Ba-Hoku has refuted Al-Shabaab claims.
“This is a mere propaganda, we are here to help Somalis and that is what they (Al-Shabaab) don’t want. We offer free medical assistance to the devastated population everyday and no single person has complained.”
He challenged the insurgents to focus on helping the population instead of waging unholy war.
AU mission has some 7,200-strong Uganda and Burundi troops which are tasked to protect the weak western backed transitional federal government in Mogadishu.
