Thursday 30 October 2008

Terrorist attacks in Somaliland and Puntland

I have sent a message of condolence to local Somalis regarding the dreadful terrorist attacks in Hargeisa and Puntland yesterday, and spoken to a number of colleagues, with influence, about what the UK can do to help. Somaliland Overseas UK has issued this appeal:

"It is clear that the devastation caused by the terrorist in Somaliland yesterday is unimaginable. Hargeisa Central Hospital is the only main Hospital dealing with this major incident. As the Government did not make any emergency contingency to deal with the major terrorist attack our country, this incident overwhelmed the medical resources available in the health system. This morning the chief executive of Hargeisa hospital made an appeal for emergency medicines. He told the BBC this morning that they are running out of medicines, as the number of injured have increased since yesterday. The International Red Cross may deliver some medical equipment today, but nothing has reached Hargeisa yet. Therefore we are appealing to Somaliland diaspora organisations, Friends of Somaliland and Somaliland organisations for urgent medical help to help those who survived this terrorist attack on our country."

Although on the scale of some other terrorist atrocities this may seem small, Somaliland is a very poor, under-resourced country, and far more peaceful than Somalia to the south. I visited Hargeisa a year ago - you can see some pictures on my main website which I think would help you visualise what an impact these attacks will have had.

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