UN says 3 aid workers die in Somalia in 3 months

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The UN humanitarian agency on Tuesday said that three aid workers died in Somalia between April and June.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said two aid workers perished when their vehicle was swept away by a flash flood in Gabiley district, northern Somalia, while the third one was killed in a coordinated attack by al-Shabab on the Pearl Beach Hotel and Restaurant in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on June 8.

The UN agency also said that nine humanitarian workers were abducted in three separate incidents -- two in Southwest State on June 23 and one in Hirshabelle State on June 5.

"These abductions were reportedly carried out by al-Shabab, but the reasons remain unknown," OCHA said in its latest humanitarian access update issued in Mogadishu.

In response to these incidents, local elders took the initiative to negotiate to secure the safe release of the abducted workers and five of them have so far been released under undisclosed terms and circumstances, OCHA said, noting the second quarter saw a significant decline in movement restrictions as a reported access constraint.

According to OCHA, movement restrictions were imposed for several reasons including military operations, bureaucratic impediments, interference, politically driven decisions, and internal security concerns among humanitarian agencies.

OCHA said the most reported access constraint during the reporting period was interference in the implementation of humanitarian activities.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency