From: wolda002@umn.edu
Date: Thu Jul 01 2010 - 01:39:26 EDT
Somalia: shelling of Mogadishu's Keysaney Hospital results in death of
patient
30 Jun 2010 12:38:39 GMT
Source: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - Switzerland
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Geneva (ICRC) – Keysaney Hospital in northern Mogadishu was hit by a
shell yesterday afternoon, killing one patient and wounding another. The
shell struck the triage building, where war-wounded patients were waiting
for medical emergency care, destroying the roof, producing cracks in the
wall and leaving the hospital more exposed than ever. The hospital was
clearly marked with the red crescent emblem.
"We are deeply concerned about the patients and staff at Keysaney.
The situation is more than desperate when people cannot even feel safe in a
hospital.
Medical personnel and facilities are scarce in Somalia," said Dr Ahmed
Mohamed Hassan, president of the Somali Red Crescent Society.
"The services provided by Keysaney are absolutely vital." Although nothing
suggests that the hospital was deliberately targeted, the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Somali Red Crescent remind all
parties to the conflict of their obligation to spare medical staff and
hospitals, clinics and similar facilities.
Attacks may be directed only against persons taking a direct part in
hostilities and against military objectives, and warring parties must spare
the civilian population and civilian objects at all times.
Keysaney is one of two ICRC-supported surgical referral hospitals in
Mogadishu.
It is managed by the Somali Red Crescent and accepts all patients,
regardless of their clan and religious or political background.
The ICRC provides the hospital with surgical equipment, medicines and
training for doctors and nurses.
Since the beginning of the year nearly 1400 war patients have been treated
at the hospital, including over 300 women and around 200 children.
For further information, please contact:
Yves Van Loo, ICRC Somalia, tel: +254 736 084 015
Nicole Engelbrecht, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 22 71 or +41 79 217 32 17
See also ICRC media contacts
This article on www.icrc.org
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of
Reuters. ]
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