UN / SOMALIA ATTACK

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned Tuesday’s attacks against the UN compound in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, saying that intentionally attacking UN personnel may constitute "a violation of international humanitarian law.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:00:37
• Production Date: 2 January 2019
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: FARHAN HAQ
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN SOMALIA - UNSOM
• Subject Topical: PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS; TERRORISM
• Geographic Subject: SOMALIA
• MAMS Id: 2343945
• Parent Id: 2343945
• Alternate Title: unifeed190102a

Description

STORY: UN / SOMALIA ATTACK
TRT: 00:37
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 02 JANUARY 2019, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior UN headquarters

02 JANUARY 2019, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Farhan Haq at the podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General:
“Yesterday, we issued a statement on the attacks against the United Nations compound in Mogadishu, which the Secretary-General strongly condemned. He recalled that intentionally directing armed attacks against United Nations personnel may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law and urged the Somali authorities to investigate the attacks and swiftly bring those responsible to justice.”
4. Med shot, journalists
5. Wide shot, Haq at the podium

Storyline

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned Tuesday’s attacks against the UN compound in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, saying that intentionally attacking UN personnel may constitute "a violation of international humanitarian law.”

Seven mortars landed inside the compound, injuring two UN staff members and one contractor. None of the injuries is life-threatening.

Guterres wished the injured a speedy recovery and urged the Somali authorities to “investigate the attacks and swiftly bring those responsible to justice.”

The Secretary-General reaffirmed that “such acts will not diminish the strong resolve of the United Nations to continue supporting the people and Government of Somalia in their efforts to build peace and stability in the country.”

Al-Shabaab has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, Nicholas Haysom, his Special Representative in the country and head of the Assistance Mission UNSOM, also condemned the attack.

Hours later, news media reported that the Somali Government declared Haysom persona non-grata and asked him to leave the country, saying that he violated international diplomatic norms by interfering in the State’s national sovereignty.

The unfolding news reports detailed that on Monday, the UN diplomat wrote the Somali government a letter asking it, among other things, to explain the legal basis for arresting Mukhtar Robow, the former al-Shabab deputy leader who was the main challenger in the South West State elections for regional presidency.