Nairobi, 13 July 2009 – The UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, has expressed the hope that gains made by the Somali Security forces over the weekend will allow some stability to return to Mogadishu and its residents to return to live normal lives.
The SRSG said the recent attacks on the Somali Security Forces and others had caused the displacement of a large number of residents including those who returned to Mogadishu earlier this year in the hope of a peaceful life. He expressed the wish that events over the weekend would allow them to go back to their homes and humanitarian assistance to reach those in desperate need.
"Despite the restraint from the Somali forces and others, attacks continued against Government institutions and innocent civilians with massive abuses of human rights and killings. It is in response to this that Government forces had no alternative but to defend Mogadishu's population," he said. "The continued suffering of Somalis caused by Somalis can not be justified."