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Chief of UN refugee agency in Somalia kidnapped
(Xinhua) -- The chief of the UN refugee agency in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, has been kidnapped from his home by unknown gunmen, witnesses said Sunday. Hassan Mohamed Ali had been taken to an unknown location by heavy armed men in two cars who raided his home in Elasha Biyaha, between Mogadishu and the southwestern town of Afgoye, witnesses told Xinhua. 'The men with two cars stopped in front of his home and forced themselves in and taking him in their car,' Mohamed Yare, an eyewitness told Xinhua, 'They took him away but we do not know where,' the eyewitness said. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people live on the outskirts of the restive Somali capital after they fled the on-going violence in the city. Most of the displaced people encamped in Elasha Biya camps, get aid deliveries from UNHCR office in Mogadishu which has not commented on the kidnapping yet. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest abduction. Another eight people, most of whom aid workers, are being held in the south of the war-torn horn of African nation since early this year. Militias capture locals and Foreigners in Somalia mainly for ransom and most of them can be released after intervention by local clan elders who wield substantial influence on militias. Aid agencies have withdrawn their expatriate staff and have suspended operation in south Somalia after the kidnapping and killing of some local and foreign aid workers early this year. Posted by: Fred 2008-06-23 |
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