The World Health Organisation (WHO) has condemned in the strongest possible terms, the deadly attack on the Pearl Beach Hotel and Restaurant in Mogadishu, Somalia, that left 16 dead, including a member of staff.
According to the UN health agency, the attack occurred on Friday and left more than 10 people injured at the beachside hotel in Somalia’s capital.
Media reports indicated that the incident took place over several hours and involved armed perpetrators.
“We condemn all attacks on innocent civilians and humanitarian aid workers and express our deepest condolences to the family members of all those who were killed in this attack,” Malik Mamunur, WHO representative in Somalia, said.
WHO is committed to continuing efforts to preserve health and respond to emergencies in Somalia, and affirmed that the safety and security of its members of staff remained a paramount factor in ensuring ongoing life-saving response operations, he said.
“We are appalled by the tragic loss of life in this senseless attack, including the death of Nasra Hassan, a WHO national female staff member,” Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said.
“We condemn in the strongest terms this heinous attack on a hotel that claimed so many lives, including the precious life of one of our dearest colleague,” he said.
He said that Hassan, 27, had joined the WHO country office in Somalia to support the drought emergency response operations in Jubaland.