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Friday, December 20, 2013
newinsideAddis Ababa, Ethiopia - Cowardly acts of ambushing humanitarian workers will not discourage them to carry on with their mission, according to the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamet Saleh Annadif.
Condemning the ambush of medical doctors on Wednesday in the outskirts of Mogadishu, which killed six people and injured two, Annadif described the incident as “a cowardly and senseless assault”.
In the attack, unidentified gunmen ambushed a vehicle transporting four Syrian and two Somali doctors to a nearby hospital.
Three Syrian doctors, two Somali doctors and their bodyguards were killed while two other doctors from Syria and Somalia suffered injuries. They are now being treated at Mogadishu’s Medina Hospital.
“We strongly condemn this callous attack on innocent civilians and such attacks will not deter our collective efforts to continue supporting the people of Somalia,” said the AU Special Representative.
He condoled with the families and friends of the deceased, reaffirming the commitment of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to support the Federal Government of Somalia in ensuring the safety and sanctity of the lives of both Somali and international personnel.
Meanwhile, the Special Representative for the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, has strongly condemned the ambush.
He said: 'Somalia, still struggling to build up its health services, relies on the goodwill of NGOs and medical personnel who work in incredibly difficult conditions to save Somali lives.
'I condemn this attack and those who continue to seek to halt the country's progress; I urge the Federal Government of Somalia to thoroughly investigate this heinous crime and bring those responsible to justice.'