Veteran Journalist And Spokesman Of The Federal Government Of Somalia Moallimu Wounded In Suicide Attack

MOGADISHU.: SOMALIA. The wreckage of the vehicle of Somalia's government spokesman Mohamed Ibrahim Moallimu is seen at the scene of the explosion and also debris in the rubble of the buildings.

Reports emerging from the Somali capital Mogadishu had confirmed that suicide bomber runs towards his vehicle and blew up the suicide bomber wearing explosive vest had detonated at the sceneas verified by the eyewitnesses.

The prime target was the government spokesman and former journalist Mohamed Ibrahim Moallimu witnesses told the local media that the suicide bomber ran towards Moallimu' s vehicle in Central Mogadishu. Moallimu was sustained minor injuries to the hand and leg from shrapnel from the device.

A photographer at the scene of the blast on Sunday reported seeing body parts lying on the ground outside his residence and was rushed to the hospital.

"A suicide bomber targeted the government spokesman who is now being treated in Erdogan Hospital for his injuries from the blast" police spokesman Abdifatah Aden told the local media.

Nasrallah Bashir Ali, state media special correspondent in the prime Minister's office where Moallimu is based, said on Twitter he did not suffer life threatening injuries in the attack which targeted him as he was passing in his vehicle.

The Somali militant group Alshebab immediately claimed the responsibility for the attack, Moalimu has survived at least three previous attacks and tweeted " it was lucky escape after surviving one in 2016"

Somalia's prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has condemned the attack and said Moallimu is in stable condition and wished him speedy recovery.

Moallimu is a former journalist who served numerous foreign media organizations including BBC World Service and BBC Somali service for several years and he also led media Syndicate promoting and defending press freedom and he was the secretary General of the federation of Somali journalists a national union of professional journalists in Somalia in Somalia before joining the government.

Prime Minister Roble paid a visit to the hospital where Moallimu is being treated but later he was discharged from the hospital when his medical condition exacerbated and today the Turkish government had despatched special plane and Moalimu lying on the stretcher were seen at the airport and the stretcher was pushing by two Turkish qualified nurses and all media professionals and colleagues whom they had collaborated so closely in media outlets were seen mourning and escorting Moallimu before being airlifted to Turkey for specialized and further treatment.

Political and security analysts had said whenever there is a political deadlock and turbulence in the country, the security is always fragile and precarious and sometimes out of control due to simmering and brewing tensions among top politicians and commanders in the security apparatus and made last-ditch appeal to pacify and stabilize the ruined country now recovering from the scratch and also urged to set aside their discrepancies and hold free and credible elections and heralded that elections is the only viable option out of this protracted crisis

On the other hand the caretaker prime Minister had reassured Somali citizens and also assured and guaranteed the security of the Turkish workers, despite escalating attacks.

The primary responsibility of the federal government is to protect their citizens. Somali prime Minister on Wednesday assured security to the Turkish and Qatari construction engineers and workers in East African country.

This alarm was raised by unidentified Turkish officials Stating that Turkish government will withdraw all its construction Engineers and workers due to insecurity. And this news spread like a wild fire.

The prime Minister had vehemently rebutted and described rumours intended to destabilize the public as well as the country and vowed those disseminated such news will be apprehended and prosecuted with immediate effect.

Mohamed Hussein Roble made commitment in meeting with ambassadors of both countries in Mogadishu, the Somali capital. Jubilant to meet Qatari and Turkish ambassadors to whom I expressed gratitude for their enduring developmental partnerships with Somalia, Such as the construction of Mog-Afgoye Road. I assured that our additional security measures in expediting the completion of the project, the caretaker premier tweeted.

Separately, Somali government communication director said the prime Minister solemnly commends the hard work and resilience shown by the workers and offered his heartfelt condolence to the bereaved families of Turkish engineers who lost their lives in the attack.

A Turkish company is currently constructing the high way partially sponsored and funded by Doha, Earlier thus month at least four people including two Turkish nationals were killed and 14 others were sustained life-threatening injuries in the suicide attack targeting a construction site in Lafole area of Mogadishu. Two of the injured were reported to have succumbed to their injuries.

Al-Qaeda affiliated islamist group Al-Shebab had claimed the responsibility of the attack. Turkish- Somali relations have experienced great achievements , success and collaboration over the years.

Beside Military training, drilling and cooperation, The two countries, also partner in health, education and other initiatives. Turkish had renovated numerous dilapidated and decrepit buildings which were in state of disrepair for the last two decades and also built others razed to the ground during the brutal civil strife and it also built new schools and hospitals that they run and also actively involved the construction of the economic infrastructure of the country. And has provided Somalis with academic scholarships to study in Turkey.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

MOHAMED HUSSEIN MENTALIST. Author, blogger, Prominent researcher, Horn of Africa Affairs analyst and Senior lecturer at Mogadishu University.

Author holds BA in English Language and literature at Mogadishu University and BA in Business administration at Simad University and Master of arts in applied Linguistics at Kisii University as well as Master of peace and conflict studies at Uppsala University in Sweden.