Baidoa  (Sunatimes) Local elders in Baidoa, Bay region, have condemned the Al-Shabaab militia group for returning drought and famine displaced people back to famine-hit villages outside the city.

After meeting at one of the area Hotels, the elders called the militia’s move to return people back to their famine-hit villages as ruthless actions against victims who in the first placed fled these villages in search of humanitarian aid.

After chairing the council of elders’ meeting, Malaq Abdi Barre, told Bar-kulan that the rebel group appeared to have less concern for the fate of the villagers, saying that they will never accept the forceful eviction of people who are already facing humanitarian crisis back to famine-hit outposts.

Barre said whenever they meet to address such inhumane eviction; they are subjected to intimidations, torture, arbitrary arrests, and detentions. He stated that they will never be intimidated for speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Al-Shabab group has on Friday said it is moving people out of camps in the central town of Baidoa ahead of the rainy season so they can prepare to farm.

An al-Shabaab official told the BBC that food rations to last a month would be given to the families. But foreign aid workers have raised concerns, saying they were appalled at the move.

They say it was like putting people affected by the famine on death row.

By Mohamed Abukar