Islamists order airport closure

2008-09-15 14:11

Mogadishu - Somalia's hardline Islamist militia, al-Shebab, has issued an ultimatum urging all traffic in and out of Mogadishu airport to cease as of Tuesday.

The extremist group argued in a statement posted on the internet and confirmed to AFP by its leader Mukhtar Robow that the airport was one of the main tools of Ethiopia's "occupation" of Somalia.

"The airport is used by Ugandan and Burundian mercenaries and there is a plan to bring more troops who could take part in the occupation of Somalia," the organisation said.

The airport is the main base for the Ugandan contingent of the AU peacekeepers in the lawless country. The Ugandans were reinforced by a Burundian contingent of AU troops earlier this year.

"The airport is generating money that helps Ethiopian troops get revenue, the premise is under the direct control of Ethiopian troops," it said.

Enemy combatant

"The facility is also being used by US and Israeli secret services and Somali religious personalities are being harassed at the airport without reason," it charged.

"Therefore, the Shebab are warning Somali businessmen that the airport is officially closed from September 16," the statement said, adding that the warning was addressed to airline managers in particular.

"Any plane attempting to land at the airport will be regarded as an enemy combatant and would have to assume responsibility for anything that happens to it," al-Shebab added.

The organisation did not elaborate on what action it could take against planes choosing to use the airport beyond the deadline, but foreign intelligence sources told AFP in Nairobi that the militia was believed to have recently acquired more surface-to-air missiles.

- AFP