The United Nations top envoy for Somalia on Wednesday criticized the senseless murder of innocent Somalis including humanitarian workers in the Horn of Africa nation.
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN Special Representative for Somalia (SRSG), expressed concern at the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the country after three Somali aid workers were killed on Friday and Sunday.
"The senseless killing of innocent Somalis must be condemned. The murder of businessmen such as Abbas Mohamed Dualeh or Haji Abdikarim Sheikh Ibrahim, of aid workers such as the head of the UNDP Mogadishu office Osman Ali Ahmed, of those like Ahmed Saalim who drove food convoys, and of journalists such as Nasteh Dahir Farah, is unacceptable," Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
The two aid workers who died on Friday worked for Somali non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the capital Mogadishu.
In Sunday's incident, militiamen opened fire in the southern town of Buale, killing the WFP transport agent in a local dispute.
WFP condemned the incident on Tuesday, saying that payments are demanded by militiamen for trucks carrying humanitarian assistance to pass the hundreds of checkpoints in South and Central Somalia.
"This year, many Somalis from all walks of life have been gunned down by Somalis. Those who train and arm adolescents to kill their compatriots will be brought to account. They will respond before God and will also face justice on earth. Such crimes will never go unpunished," Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said.
So far this year, a total of five WFP-contracted drivers have been killed in Somalia. The UN condemned a plague of kidnappings and attacks on aid workers and members of civil society which had broken out in recent weeks.
"Today is a critical moment in Somalia's history. I appeal to all Somali patriots to unite their ranks, defend their dignity and come together for peace and justice as their elders did in the historic Somali Youth League in the 1940s," said Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah.
Source:Xinhua
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