Monday, October 06, 2008
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Violent fighting continued throughout the weekend in Mogadishu between
insurgents and Somali and Ethiopian troops. Unidentified gunmen
attacked the offices of an aid group in the outskirts of the capital,
stealing computers and other office material. "We are increasingly
concerned because the violence is now not even sparing residential
areas and health or humanitarian structures", said to MISNA Mohammed
Ali Ahmed Mohalin, vice-director of Mogadishu's main Medina Hospital.
After clashes yesterday in a suburban area of the capital along the
road to the airport, involving also soldiers of the African Union
mission in Somalia (AMISOM), "a civilian was killed and other 16 were
hospitalised", added Ali. "The situation has become unbearable for the
population and the fighting is forcing residents to live as recluses",
continued the Medina vice-director, specifying that "two homes were
entirely destroyed by mortar shells overnight". Meanwhile, a meeting is
being held at the Bakara market between traders and city officials "to
evaluate the possibility of closing the airport for security reasons".
A move that on one hand seeks to limit targets of insurgent attacks,
but on the other would render the life of the population even more
difficult: "closing the airport would mean being without medical
supplies, which would be a catastrophe considering that we are a
country at war", said the Medina vice-director. Human Rights Watch
today once again denounced the situation of the Somali population,
defining it the most "ignored tragedy" by the international community
and adding that "if such a situation was happening anywhere else in the
world it would be considered a travesty".
SOURCE: Missionary International Service News Agency (MISNA) ,Monday, October 06, 2008