Press Release

02.05.2010

Somali Human Rights Defenders Network (SOHRIDEN) condemns the plague of terrorism targeted against the holy sites mosques. It was only yesterday at noon prayers when two blasts simultaneously killed innocent civilians and wounded many others in the Mosque of Al- Niilayn, in Abdalla Shideeya at Bakara Market that left 42 dead and 70 wounded.

We condemn also the blast of tonight at Isha prayers in another mosque in Kismayo district which also left at least three dead and more than was injured.

“Islam is a religion of moderation and of peace that abhors attacks on innocent people. Shedding the blood of the innocents is prohibited everywhere, and whoever does not believe in its prohibition is a sacrilegious deviant” Said Zakaria Mahamed Sh.yusuf , Legal Advisor of SOHRIDEN.

The Islamist Al Shabaab movement who controls the Bakara Market alleged the attacks on foreign security firms operating in Mogadishu which they claim that they had known and warned before. The other Mosque in Kismayo is managed and controlled by Alshabaab sect of Al- takfir. The explosions targeting the Mosques are just escalating insecurity in the country.

“All political and religious armed groups in Somalia need to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from further acts of violence and revenge targeting the mosques where the innocent civilians attend to worship five praying times daily” said Ahmed kiimiko, focal point of EAHAHRD for Somalia and Chairperson of SOHRIDEN. ‘We regret such acts where the followers of one religion are killing each other “added Ahmed kiimiko.

SOHRIDEN sends its deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs and ask God Almighty for a speedy recovery of the wounded.


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Human Rights Reporting Office
Somali Human Rights Defenders Network (SOHRIDEN)
Human Rights House
Talex Street, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia.
Tel: +2525-9-29027/+252-1-227272
Email: sohriden@gmail.com,
info@sohriden.org
shrdefenders@globalsom.com
URL: www.sohriden.org