Dozens of heavily armed government security officials detained the head of the World Food Programme (WFP) office in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 17 October.
The act is decried by the UN organisation as a violation of international law, according to IRINnews.
In a statement, WFP called for “the immediate release of Mr Idris Osman, WFP’s officer-in-charge of our Mogadishu office”.
Mr Osman is being held in a cell at NSS headquarters near the presidential palace.
WFP has not received any explanation for this action, which violates international law, the statement said.
No shots were fired during the incident, it added.
“WFP is urgently taking up his detention with the government,” WFP spokesman Marcus Prior told IRIN.
UDLØBER AF NYE KAMPE
A civil society source described the detention as “another indication of the government’s unwillingness to allow for aid to reach the population.”.
Following the incident, WFP suspended food distribution in Mogadishu, where 75,000 people have been receiving its aid.
The incident occurred a day after armed insurgents opposed to Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) mounted a major offensive against targets in Mogadishu.
