World slams killing of top UN official in lawless Somalia

NAIROBI - UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday led the world in condemning the killing of a top UN official in Mogadishu as an ‘outrageous’ act aimed at undermining humanitarian and peace efforts in lawless Somalia. Gunmen shot and killed Osman Ali Ahmed, the head of the UN Development Programme in Mogadishu, and wounded his brother and son as they left a mosque late Sunday in what witnesses described as a pre-meditated attack. Ban, who is attending the G8 summit of industrialised nations in the Japanese spa resort of Toyako, condemned ‘the brutal killing’ and urged ‘all Somalis to reflect on this latest senseless act of violence and to work together in the search for peace and reconciliation. ‘The killing of Osman Ali Ahmed is a loss not only for the United Nations but also for the Somali people, who are the ultimate victims when... [read full story]