United Nations pressing to end illegal Somali charcoal trade

KHASAB, Oman (AP) — The United Nations is pressing Gulf nations to take greater action to stop the continuing trade in charcoal from Somalia, which was banned by the Security Council because it rakes in millions of dollars for the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militia.

U.N. inspectors say the trade in Somali charcoal has increased since the ban was imposed in early 2012, with much of it shipped to Gulf nations

The Associated Press filmed thousands of bags of charcoal believed to be from Somalia being unloaded from a cargo ship in the isolated Omani port of Khasab and put into trucks to be shipped through the mountains into the neighboring United Arab Emirates.

In letters obtained by AP, U.N. inspectors have asked Oman and the Emirates to put a stop to the trade.