The Taliban said Thursday that foreign aid organizations are not providing help to flood victims in Pakistan and hinted that militant Islamists could attack relief workers, says The New York Times.

“No relief is reaching the affected people, and when the victims are not receiving help, then this horde of foreigners is not acceptable to us at all,” said Azam Tariq, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban. “When we say something is unacceptable to us, one can draw his own conclusion.”

The U.S. State Department termed the comments “a real threat,” but a United Nations spokesman said aid work overseen by the U.N. will not be affected by security worries.

An unnamed senior U.S. official tells Reuters that charities affiliated with militant groups are stepping up flood-relief work to win popular support, including handing out cash to victims.

Pakistan’s government announced a clampdown last week on relief groups with suspected ties to jihadists.

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