Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Killing of Seven Health Workers, Shop Owner Shocks Somalia

Mohamed Olad Hassan

   BELEDWEYN, SOMALIA / WASHINGTON - The bodies of seven health workers
   and a civilian were found Thursday in a village north of Mogadishu,
   shocking residents, local authorities and elders said Friday.

   "We found the dead bodies of the seven young health workers and a shop
   owner outside Golaley village near Balad district, 30 kilometers north
   of Mogadishu, a day after they were abducted by men in Somali military
   fatigues," Ahmed Mohamed Muse, a local elder, told VOA Somali.

   It was not clear who was responsible for the killing, but local elders,
   including Muse, accused Somali government soldiers of being behind the
   attack.

   "The abductors were government soldiers and they carried out the
   execution, apparently as revenge for the killing of nine soldiers by a
   roadside bomb on Tuesday," said Muse.

   Qasim Ali Nur, Balad district commissioner, denied the accusation and
   instead laid blame on the militant group al-Shabab.

   "We are still investigating the incident and the initial evidence we
   have is telling us that al-Shabab militants were behind the killing,"
   Nur told VOA Somali.

   He said the seven slain health workers were with the Zamzam foundation,
   a local aid group that focuses on health care, education, orphan care
   and peace building.

.