Wednesday, April 15, 2009
None of the victims were staff of the SRCS or patients.
The ICRC said in a statement the ICRC and SRCS are deeply saddened by the incident and the bloodshed it caused, and wish to extend their heartfelt condolences to the family of the person killed.
"The incident illustrates once more how dangerous it is in Mogadishu and how difficult it can be to provide victims of the armed conflict with medical care and humanitarian aid," said Dr. Ahmed M. Hassan, the president of the SRCS.
"Although nothing suggests that the centre was deliberately targeted, the ICRC and the SRCS remind all parties concerned of their obligation to respect and protect at all times medical staff and infrastructure such as hospitals, clinics and limb-fitting and rehabilitation centers," the statement said.
The ICRC continues to work closely with the SRCS and remains a key provider of emergency aid for victims of conflict and natural disasters in Somalia. It has maintained an uninterrupted presence in the country since 1982.
According to the UN information, 35 aid workers were killed in Somalia in 2008 and 26 were abducted. Two workers have been killed this year.
Hundreds of thousands of people are dependent on aid in the war-torn country. Close to 50 percent of the Somali population, or some 3.2 million people, are reliant on humanitarian assistance.