SOMALIA: Somali Government Help Free the Chandlers [Photos]

Paul and Rachel Chandler who were held hostage by pirates since October last year were freed yesterday and handed over to the Somali government.
Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed met with the Chandlers as they arrived in Mogadishu and he told them that “the Somali government and Somali people are pleased that they got their freedom” adding that the, “Transitional Federal Government of Somalia exerted every humanly possible effort to bring you back to your loved ones and notwithstanding what you went through, at last you are free and we are happy.”
President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed who is in Makka, Saudi Arabia performing Hajj rites, stated that, “He is very happy Paul and Rachel are free and en route to their family, we are deeply sorry that pirates who are Somalis took their freedom, but I also know many brave Somalis worked assiduously and continuously to free the Chandlers – we solute them.”
Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi said, “many would surely be asking how this freedom came about, that is not for us to dwell on as we are working to free others, our objectives was to win their freedom and we are delighted they are free.”

Photo: Standing at the podium Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
Sitting with them Speaker of the Somali Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden
Credit photo: Somali Presidency / A. Wehliya
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