Somalia: Top leaders denounce Mandera quarry attack

HE the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on behalf of the Federal Government and the people of Somalia, offers his sincere condolences in response to this morning’s murderous attack by al-Shabab terrorists on defenseless quarry workers near Mandera, Kenya.

He commented: “The governments of Kenya and Somalia are united in their condemnation of the actions of al-Shabab and stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against the scourge of terrorism in both countries.

The Somali intelligence service is cooperating with its Kenyan counterparts to find those responsible for this and other recent attacks.”

President Hassan continued: “We understand al-Shabab’s ploy and we will not fall into their trap. Al-Shabab thinks that their headline-seeking atrocities will drive wedges between Somalis and Kenyans, Somalis and Somalis, Kenyans and Kenyans. But we must prove them wrong.

We must use our outrage constructively, channeling it wholeheartedly into finding those responsible and making them subject to the due process of the law.”

Somali President concluded: “We must take care to avoid the lures of al-Shabab: rendered powerless on the battlefield, they seek to draw us into excessive responses with these attacks. We must be calm, measured, and target our responses carefully.

We must remain unified, regardless of nationality, ethnicity or religion and we must remember that there is only one enemy here: al-Shabaab.”

On his side PM Abdiweli strongly condemned the deadly attack in Koromey, the outskirts of Mandera town, he sent condolences to the families and relatives who lost their beloved ones during the attack.