Image copyright Reuters Image caption Nicholas Haysom was appointed to the post only a few months ago

Somalia has expelled the UN's top envoy, Nicholas Haysom, accusing him of "shaming" the world body by acting like the country's ruler.

Mr Haysom had raised concern about the killing of protesters allied with ex-militant Islamist Mukhtar Robow.

Security forces were allegedly involved in the deaths of about 15 of the protesters and the detention of about 300 people, the UN says.

Somalia's government is heavily dependent on foreign aid.

The UN provides training, uniforms and stipends to its security forces, who are battling militant Islamist group al-Shabab.

The al-Qaeda-linked group said it had fired mortars into the UN compound in the capital, Mogadishu, on Wednesday.

Three people were wounded in the attack, the UN said.

It condemned it as an "act of aggression", which may be in violation of international law.

Mr Robow, a former deputy leader of al-Shabab, defected from the group in 2017.

He announced last October that he intended to run for the presidency of Somalia's South West state.

'Sovereignty violated'

However, the government banned him from contesting the poll and the security forces arrested him in early December.

The government said he had not "relinquished his extremist ideologies".

Mr Haysom wrote to the government on 30 December, questioning the legal basis for Mr Robow's arrest and the subsequent crackdown on his supporters demonstrating in Baidoa, the capital of South West state.

It is unclear whether the government replied to Mr Haysom's concerns, but Foreign Minister Ahmed Isse Awad said the UN envoy was "no longer welcome" in the country.

"Mr Haysom has violated diplomatic rules, and acted as though he is the head or the ruler of Somalia. He is a shame to the conduct of the UN and has violated the sovereignty and independence of Somalia," he told BBC Somali.

Mr Haysom is a South African and was a legal adviser to the country's first black President Nelson Mandela.

He later served as a UN envoy to Afghanistan, Sudan and South Sudan.

He was appointed as UN chief Antonio Guterres' special representative for Somalia in September 2018, and was assigned the task of helping to achieve peace in the country.

Somalia has been unstable since the fall of the Siad Barre regime in 1991.</s>Somalia's government has ordered the UN top envoy to the troubled country to leave, accusing him of "deliberately interfering with the country's sovereignty."

The order comes days after the official, Nicholas Haysom, raised concerns at the action of Somalia's UN-backed security services in recent violence that left several people dead.

"The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Nicholas Haysom, is no longer welcome in Somalia and cannot operate in the country," the foreign ministry said in a statement late Tuesday.</s>Somalia has expelled a high ranking United Nations official in the country, accusing him of interfering with national sovereignty days after he raised concerns about the actions of U.N.-supported Somali security forces.

The foreign affairs ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday that Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Somalia, “is not required and cannot work in this country”, effectively declaring the official persona non grata.

“The decision comes after he openly breached the appropriate conduct of the U.N. office in Somalia,” the statement read.

There was no immediate comment from the U.N. mission in the volatile, impoverished country in the Horn of Africa.

The United Nations is a major backer of Somalia, which is trying to claw its way out of the embers of the civil war that engulfed it in 1991, when clan warlords overthrew a dictator and then turned on each other.

What did the UN official say?

The government’s move comes after Haysom sent a letter dated Dec. 30 to the interior security minister expressing concern over “the alleged involvement of UN-supported Somali security forces in the arrest of Mukhtar Robow on 13 December, the deaths of 15 civilians…on 13, 14, and 15 December…and the arrest of approximately 300 people involved in the demonstrations on 13, 14, and 15 December”.

Robow, the individual referred to in the letter, is a former Islamist al Shabaab militant whose bid to become a regional leader in the country in an election last month was blocked.

The Internal Security Ministry said that Robow was arrested on suspicion that he had brought militants and weapons back to the southern city of Baidoa, the capital of South West region where he is running for president.

His arrest sparked clashes between militiamen loyal to Robow and Somali forces. Ethiopian security forces, who are part of an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia, were also involved in the violence.

Al Shabaab has sought for over a decade to topple the central government and implement its strict version of Islamic law. It was driven out of the capital in 2011 but maintains a foothold in some regions including South West.

Robow, however, publicly renounced violence and recognised federal authority in 2017.

In the letter, Haysom asked the minister to explain the legal basis for Robow’s arrest. He also asked what action had been taken to investigate the circumstances of the deaths during the demonstrations in Baidoa following Robow’s arrest. He said that the U.N. understood that most of those detained were children.

The U.N. letter also contained an annexed joint letter from the European Union, Germany and Britain announcing the suspension of their support to the police in South West state due to their conduct during last month’s election. Haysom also detailed the U.N. support to the Somali police force and the South West regional police which includes the payment of stipends to the police.</s>Somalia’s government took the unusually drastic decision of expelling the United Nations’ most senior official in the country late Tuesday night after he questioned the detention of a former al-Shabab leader contesting regional elections.

Nicholas Haysom, a South African, had only served a few months as the special rapporteur to the U.N.’s secretary general, António Guterres. A statement from Somalia’s Foreign Ministry declared him a “persona non grata” and ordered him to leave the country.

His expulsion comes amid a political crisis that has pitted the governments of Somalia’s semiautonomous regions against the federal government based in the capital, Mogadishu. The regional governments are in the process of holding elections.

In the Southwest region, the only one that has held its election so far, the favorite candidate to win the top leadership position was Mukhtar Robow, who had served as the deputy leader of the Islamist group al-Shabab for many years before defecting in 2017. Robow was barred by the federal government from running, ostensibly for his failure to formally repudiate al-Shabab.

He was then arrested by Somali police days before the election. Subsequent rioting by his supporters in the regional capital, Baidoa, resulted in at least 11 deaths, and scores were detained by security forces. Robow was transferred to a prison run by Somalia’s intelligence service in Mogadishu.

In a letter to the federal government, Haysom criticized the crackdown and questioned the legal basis for holding Robow without charge beyond the normal 48 hours.

The letter also probed civilian deaths during the protests and said they must be “thoroughly and promptly investigated.” Haysom wrote that more than 300 people, including minors, were arrested following the demonstrations in Baidoa.

A spokesman for the U.N.’s political office in Mogadishu said official comment was forthcoming.

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news</s>Somalia's government has ordered the top United Nations official in the country to leave, accusing him of interfering with national sovereignty days after he raised concerns about the actions of UN-supported Somali security forces.

The foreign affairs ministry said on Tuesday that Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, "is not required and cannot work in this country", effectively declaring the official persona non grata.

"The decision comes after he openly breached the appropriate conduct of the UN office in Somalia," a statement read.

Haysom sent a letter dated December 30 to the interior security minister expressing concern over "the alleged involvement of UN-supported Somali security forces in the arrest of Mukhtar Robow on 13 December, the deaths of 15 civilians...on 13, 14, and 15 December...and the arrest of approximately 300 people involved in the demonstrations on 13, 14, and 15 December".

Robow, the individual referred to in the letter, is a former member the armed group al-Shabab whose bid to become a regional leader in the country in an election last month was blocked.

The Internal Security Ministry said that Robow was arrested on suspicion that he had brought fighters and weapons back to the southern city of Baidoa, the capital of South West region where he is running for president.

His arrest sparked clashes between militiamen loyal to Robow and Somali forces. Ethiopian security forces, who are part of an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia, were also involved in the violence.

There was no immediate comment from the UN mission in the country.

The decision comes hours after the UN compound in the Somali capital of Mogadishu was attacked. Seven mortars landed inside the compound which led to the wounding of two UN staff members and one contractor. The Secretary-General of the UN Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack and urged the Somali authorities to "investigate the attack and bring those responsible to justice".

Al-Shabab has reportedly claimed responsibility of the attack according to a statement by the UN.</s>The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General deeply regrets the decision of the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia to declare the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Nicholas Haysom, persona non grata.

The Secretary-General has full confidence in Mr. Haysom, an experienced and respected international civil servant who has distinguished himself in numerous senior leadership roles, in the field and at United Nations Headquarters.

The doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to, or in respect of, United Nations personnel. As described in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the doctrine applies to diplomatic agents who are accredited by one State to another in the context of their bilateral relations. The United Nations is not a State and its personnel are not accredited to the States where they are deployed, but work under the sole responsibility of the Secretary‑General.

At the same time the Secretary-General is totally committed to ensuring that the needs of the Somali people are at the forefront of the work of the United Nations in Somalia. UNSOM needs to be able to carry out in the most effective manner its mandate to support the country. Therefore, he intends to appoint in due course a new Special Representative for Somalia and Head of UNSOM.

The Secretary-General remains strongly committed to assisting Somalia in its efforts to achieve peace, stability and prosperity for all.</s>NAIROBI, Kenya — Somalia’s government has ordered the United Nations envoy to the country to leave, as questions arise over the arrest of the al-Shabab extremist group’s former deputy leader who had run for a regional presidency.

A Foreign Ministry statement late Tuesday accuses Nicholas Haysom of diplomatic overreach that violated the Horn of Africa nation’s sovereignty, declaring him “persona non grata.” He arrived as envoy a few months ago.

Haysom had questioned the legal basis used in the arrest last month of Mukhtar Robow, a former al-Shabab spokesman who defected from the group in 2017, and whether U.N.-funded regional police in Southwest state were involved.

Ethiopian troops who are part of the African Union force in Somalia and Somali police arrested Robow days before the regional election in which Robow had been a leading candidate. Deadly protests followed. Ethiopia has not commented. Robow was flown to Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and has been held in a prison run by Somalia’s intelligence agency.</s>The government of Somalia said on Tuesday night it had instructed the head of the United Nations' mission in the country to leave the country, effectively declaring him persona non grata.

Nicholas Haysom "is not required and cannot work in this country," a Somalian Foreign Ministry statement read.

The order comes days after the diplomat expressed concern over the alleged involvement of UN-supported security forces in the arrest of Mukhtar Robow, a candidate standing for a regional presidential election in the southwest of the country.

Somali authorities backed by Ethiopian troops detained the former Islamist leader linked to al Shabaabfor allegedly wanting to "undermine stability," blocking his election bid. The move sparked deadly clashes between factions loyal to him and Somali forces.

Read more: Life in Somalia under peacekeepers and al-Shabab threats

Haysom cited a number of concerns about the situation surrounding Robow in his letter to the interior security minister, including "the alleged involvement of UN-supported Somali security forces in the arrest of Mukhtar Robow on December 13, the deaths of 15 civilians ... on 13, 14, and 15 December ... and the arrest of approximately 300 people involved in the demonstrations on 13, 14, and 15 December."

Harun Maruf, an expert on the region and author, published part of the letter in a tweet.

The Internal Security Ministry said that Robow was detained on suspicion that he had brought militants and weapons back to Baidoa, a charge his representative denies.

Somalia has struggled for the past two decades with civil war, famine and failed governance. Al Shabaab, which has ties to Al-Qaida, and wants to set up an Islamist state, controls parts of the Somali countryside and carries out attacks against government, military and civilian targets in both Mogadishu and regional towns.

Germany announced last year that it was ending its participation in an eight-year European Union training mission in Somalia, withdrawing the 5,000 Bundeswehr troops stationed in the country.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will appoint a new envoy to Somalia, a U.N. spokesman said on Friday, after failing to convince the country to retract its decision to expel the current representative over accusations of interference.

Since Somalia’s foreign ministry declared late on Tuesday that U.N. envoy Nicholas Haysom “cannot work in this country,” Guterres has spoken twice with Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi, U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters in New York.

“The Secretary-General deeply regrets the decision of the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” Haq said. “The Secretary-General has full confidence in Mr. Haysom.”

Haq noted that the doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to United Nations personnel.

“At the same time the Secretary-General is totally committed to ensuring that the needs of the Somali people are at the forefront of the work of the United Nations in Somalia,” Haq said. “Therefore, he intends to appoint in due course a new Special Representative for Somalia.”

The U.N. Security Council is due to discuss the developments behind closed doors later on Friday, diplomats said.

The United Nations is a major backer of Somalia, a country that has lacked strong central government since 1991. The government’s decision on Haysom could intensify a confrontation between Mogadishu and the semiautonomous regions.

Haysom had raised questions in a letter on Sunday about the involvement of U.N.-supported Somali security forces in the arrest of a former militant of the Islamist al Shabaab group who was blocked from running in a regional election.

Haysom, a South African, told the Security Council on Thursday that the allegations of interference by the federal government in the regional election and the violence that followed the former militant’s arrest “does not bode well for the upcoming electoral processes in other regions or for the 2020 national elections.”

Somalia’s U.N. Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman told the Security Council that the Somali people wanted “Somalia leading international support, not international support leading Somalia.”

“Somalia distinguishes between the institutions that we are part of and individual conduct that’s had detrimental effect on our fragile nation,” he said.</s>Somalia has kicked out the country’s top UN official in a decision likely to harm relations with foreign powers backing government attempts to restore stability after decades of turmoil.

The government on Wednesday accused Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, of interfering with internal affairs.

Mr Haysom raised questions in a December 30 letter about the involvement of UN-supported Somali security forces in the arrest of a former militant of the Islamist al Shabaab group, who was blocked from running in a recent regional election.

Mr Haysom “is not required and cannot work in this country”, the foreign affairs ministry said.

“He openly breached the appropriate conduct of the UN office in Somalia,” said the statement late on Tuesday, which effectively makes the South African persona non grata.

There was no immediate comment from the UN mission which also supports an AU peacekeeping force fighting al Shabaab.

Mr Haysom’s letter to the interior security minister expressed concern over the government’s handling of the arrest of former Shabaab leader, Mukhtar Robow and subsequent unrest in December.

At least 15 civilians were killed and around 300 people detained, most of them children, when protests erupted after Robow’s arrest in the southern city of Baidoa, according to the UN letter.

The government said Robow was arrested on suspicion that he had brought militants and weapons back to Baidoa, the capital of South West region where he tried to contest for president in last month’s election.

His arrest sparked clashes between militiamen loyal to Robow and Somali forces.

Ethiopian security forces, who are part of an AU peacekeeping force, were also involved.

Al Shabaab has sought for over a decade to topple the central government and implement its strict version of Islamic law.

It was driven out of the capital in 2011 but maintains a foothold in some regions including South West.

In the letter, Haysom asked the minister to explain the legal basis for Robow’s arrest.

He also asked what action had been taken to investigate the deaths during the demonstrations in Baidoa following the arrest.

The UN letter also contained an annexed letter from the EU, Germany and Britain announcing the suspension of their support to the police in South West state due to their conduct during last month’s election.

 Mr Haysom also detailed the UN support to the Somali police force and the South West regional police which includes the payment of stipends to the police.

The UN is a major backer of Somalia, a country that has lacked strong central government since 1991.

The government’s decision over Mr Haysom could intensify a confrontation between Mogadishu and the semi-autonomous regions.
Somalia expels Nicholas Haysom, the most senior United Nations diplomat in the country, after accusing him of "acting like the country's ruler".