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| Africa Horn |
| Somalia: Top UN envoy appeals for release of hostages |
| 2008-12-06 |
| (AKI) - The top United Nations envoy to Somalia on Friday called for hostages being held in the war-ravaged Horn of Africa nation to be freed immediately as a sign of good will during a Muslim holiday. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the Secretary-General's Special Representative said releasing the hostages would improve Somalia's image and "show that its people deserve respect and confidence." "On the eve of Eid al-Adha, a period of forgiveness, I appeal to all Somalis to help ensure that those hostages being held, both Somalis and foreigners, are allowed to enjoy their freedom and to return home safe and sound," Ould-Abdallah said. Four foreign journalists and two Italian Catholic nuns are amongst those being held. Journalists and foreign aid workers have increasingly become targets for kidnap and murder this year, mainly in south and central Somalia where Islamist insurgents (photo) are waging a bloody conflict against the government. Ould-Abdallah said he was especially concerned for the two nuns, who were kidnapped in neighbouring Kenya in November and taken across the border. "They should be allowed to return home immediately and I do not see any excuse for holding them any longer," he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Could you please let the hostgages go? No! Dammit, I tried so hard. Manolo! The Henneseys! Chop chop! |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-12-06 19:37 |
| #2 Nobody kidnaps Catholic Nuns. Even in the worst El Salvadorian slums Catholic nuns can travel on foot at night unmolested. These guys really are cockroaches. Somalia must be what the world would look like if the mooks ran it. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-12-06 08:19 |
| #1 called for hostages being held in the war-ravaged Horn of Africa nation to be freed immediately as a sign of good will during a Muslim holiday. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah Appealing for good will to fellow Muslims? You've been too long away from your roots, Ahmedou. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-12-06 03:06 |