A Security Officer has killed two UN International Staff members on Monday in an airport located in North-central Somalia, Officials and witnesses Confirm.
The killing took place in Galkaio city, which is some 750-kilometers northern of Somali Capital, Mogadishu. The town is administered by the Puntland regional Government.
One of the men was shot dead at the scene, and the other was seriously injured and taken to hospital, where he died of his wounds, according to medical staff at the hospital.
The pair worked for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as International Staff members and had landed in Galkaio airport before their shooting.
Puntland Director of Ministry for Anti-Piracy Abdirisak Duceysane identified the name of the two as Clement Garrison who is a Canadian citizen and Simon, a Briton.
On Monday, Puntland leader Abdiweli Mohamed Ali arrived in Galkaio town as part of his Provincial tour which was going on for the past two weeks.
The UN Envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay condemned the killings, calling for the Puntland local authorities to bring justice the ‘’perpetrators’’.
“I condemn the brutal murders. Our UN colleagues were working in support of the Somali people’s aspiration for a peaceful and stable future. There can be no justification for such a callous attack. I call on the authorities to conduct a full investigation immediately and bring the perpetrators to justice without delay. I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims. The United Nations in Somalia remains committed to continuing our vital support to the Somali people as they emerge from decades of conflict” said the UN envoy in a statement.
The killing of the two UNODC staff appears to be the worst in years targeting foreigners working in the stable region of the war-ravaged nation.
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