Somalia: FM describes New Zealand PM as exceptional leader

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Isse Awad, expressed his satisfaction with the reaction of the New Zealand government headed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in response to the terrorist attack on Muslim worshipers in two mosques in Christchurch on Friday (March 15th).

Minister Awad said in his speech today at an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the level of foreign ministers in Istanbul, Turkey, on the brutal terrorist attack of Islamophobic in New Zealand.

"On behalf of my President, Prime Minister and the Somali people, I would like to express our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families, Muslim community, People and Government of New Zealand on the victims of the Christchurch massacre on 15 March 2019. We in Somalia are grieving for all the innocent victims and are appalled by this horror of the tragic massacre".

The minister said in his speech that Somalis were killed in the horrific attack "The shooting at Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch that killed 50 and injured 50 innocent Muslims aged between 5 and 79 who came from many countries including my own, Somalia. In this hateful attack, 5 Somali New Zealanders were killed, including a 5-year-old child".

"We strongly condemn this heinous terrorist attack of Islamophobia," he said.