WASHINGTON, United States, Jan 8, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US State Department officials rebuked Somalia's leaders On Wednesday over reports of food aid theft and paused "all ongoing US assistance programs" to its government, according to a post to X. Noting its "zero-tolerance policy" for waste or theft, the US Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious Freedom posted that it had received reports Somali officials "destroyed a US-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid for vulnerable Somalis." US officials added that any future aid would be "dependent on the Somali Federal Government taking accountability" and remediating the matter. Located on the Horn of Africa, war-torn Somalia has consistently been categorized as one of the world's least developed countries by the United Nations. Officials in Somalia did not immediately respond to a request for response to the aid reduction. In recent weeks Washington has repeatedly lashed out at Somalis in the US, targeting them in immigration raids in Minnesota and alleging large-scale public benefit fraud in the midwestern state's Somali community, the largest in the country with around 80,000 members. In November, US President Donald Trump ended temporary protected status for Somali immigrants, accusing them of gang violence, adding "send them back to where they came from." The move also marks the latest setback in a growing rift between Somalia, the US and Washington's allies in Israel. Israel announced last month it was officially recognizing Somaliland, a first for the self-proclaimed republic since it declared independence from Somalia in 1991. Somaliland's position on the Gulf of Aden, in proximity to Israel's foes in Yemen, makes it strategically desirable. Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab -- which has fought the Somali government for around two decades -- has vowed to fight any attempt by Israel to use Somaliland as a base. Somaliland has its own currency, passports and army, but has struggled to win international recognition. Israel's recognition was supported by the United States, but criticised by Egypt, Turkey, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The European Union insisted Somalia's sovereignty should be respected.