Humanitarian advocate, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), says it lost one of its staff in Somalia during Sunday’s indiscriminate attacks in Mogadishu.
“I am heartbroken and deeply saddened by this tragic loss of a valued colleague and friend. The entire global NRC-family is mourning. The attack is another cruel reminder of the absolutely unacceptable violence engulfing unarmed and neutral humanitarian workers in too many conflicts around the world,” said Secretary General Jan Egeland.
The United Nations envoy for Somalia has also strongly condemned Sunday’s terrorist attack on a hotel near the international airport in capital, Mogadishu, that left at least five people dead and dozens more wounded.
The Al-Shabaab terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Hotel Afrik, which began with a car bomb, followed by hours-long gun battle with security forces. Four attackers were also killed.
In a statement on Monday, James Swan, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and head of the UN Assistance Mission in the country (UNSOM), denounced the “senseless attack”.
“We are appalled by this reprehensible and senseless attack on a venue frequented by innocent civilians, and condemn it in the strongest terms,” he said.
Several civilians, said to have been trapped in the hotel, were rescued by security forces.
