The UN Special Representative for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said Monday he was deeply saddened to hear of the deaths of some 20 Somali woman workers in a bomb attack in Mogadishu over the weekend.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, Ould-Abdallah said the victims were trying to improve life in the bullet-riddled Mogadishu by cleaning the streets.
"These women were killed trying to do their work and improve life in Mogadishu by cleaning the streets. Nothing can justify the deaths of innocent victims especially wives and mothers such as these who were working hard to make ends meet," the envoy said.
These women were killed in a roadside explosion in Mogadishu on Sunday, which also left more than 50 others injured.
Witnesses said a remotely detonated gadget went off along a main road leading to the presidential palace where the street cleaners were working.
The explosion and overnight attacks on military bases ended a brief period of relative calm that followed the signing of a peace deal between the government and the Islamic insurgency it is fighting.
"I extend my condolences to their families and to all Somalis. I also call on true Somali patriots to use restraint and address their problems through contact and dialogue as preached by their religion and their culture," Ould-Abdallah said.
"After so many years of violence, Somalis should use this sad time to regain their sense of dignity through working together for lasting peace," he added.
The top UN envoy to Somalia on Saturday called on the people of the strife-torn nation to work together to overcome the political problems that are threatening to unravel a peace deal reached in June amid reports that two-thirds of the country's government ministers have resigned and the Mayor of Mogadishu has been fired.
Voicing concern over the current problems regarding the administration of Mogadishu, Ould-Abdallah urged all Somalis to remain united in the quest for peace and reconciliation in the country.
The political problems also come at a time when the country is facing a humanitarian crisis caused by conflict, drought, and price rises in basic commodities.
Some 2.6 million Somalis, representing 35 percent of the population, are believed to be in need of humanitarian aid.
Insurgents launch near-daily attacks on the transition administration and its Ethiopian military allies.
The UN estimates that about 1.5 million people have fled after recent fighting. The country's opposition groups, which include a movement ousted from power in 2006, are opposed to Ethiopian troops remaining in Somalia.
African Union troops have not been able to quell the violence, which has triggered what aid workers say may be the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa.
Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, when former President Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted.
Source:Xinhua
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