MOGADISHU, 17 October 2017 – The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) officers yesterday organised a blood donation drive in support of victims of the recent terror attack in Mogadishu.
Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagleh who led the drive at the AMISOM Force Headquarters urged both officers and civilians to turn up in large numbers and donate blood in aid of the bomb victims.
“As AMISOM, it’s a good and simple thing to donate blood; but we are ready to sacrifice our blood and lives,” the Force Commander said.
Last Saturday, Al-Shabaab detonated a truck full of explosives at a busy junction in Mogadishu city, killing innocent civilians. Hundreds of residents injured in the blast are admitted in various hospitals in Mogadishu and many are in urgent need of blood.
The AMISOM Force Commander condemned the act of targeting innocent members of the public, and termed Al-Shabaab an enemy of humanity.
“I want to send a message to Somalis that Al-Shabaab is an enemy of the people and of humanity. If such persons were normal, they would not have targeted the ordinary population. One should not think that Al-Shabaab is fighting AMISOM or the Somali security forces or other troops in the country. They should know that Al-Shabaab is the enemy of all existing Somalis,” noted Lt. Gen. Soubagleh.
Lt. Col. Dr. Boniface Mandishona, the Force Medical Officer, said his office has formulated a medical support plan in response to the crisis.
“As we speak right now we are in the process of collecting blood at Force Headquarters for those who have been injured. Yesterday we were at the stadium collecting blood. We have cleared our hospital so that we are ready to receive more patients from the civilian side if the need is required,” said Dr. Mandishona.
Also, AMISOM has carried out a medical needs assessment and made a request to the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa as well as the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) for medical supplies and other necessary materials to aid the victims recover from the blast.
“We should be able to help the Somali people through this crisis,” Lt. Col. Dr. Mandishona said.
Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagleh who led the drive at the AMISOM Force Headquarters urged both officers and civilians to turn up in large numbers and donate blood in aid of the bomb victims.
“As AMISOM, it’s a good and simple thing to donate blood; but we are ready to sacrifice our blood and lives,” the Force Commander said.
Last Saturday, Al-Shabaab detonated a truck full of explosives at a busy junction in Mogadishu city, killing innocent civilians. Hundreds of residents injured in the blast are admitted in various hospitals in Mogadishu and many are in urgent need of blood.
The AMISOM Force Commander condemned the act of targeting innocent members of the public, and termed Al-Shabaab an enemy of humanity.
“I want to send a message to Somalis that Al-Shabaab is an enemy of the people and of humanity. If such persons were normal, they would not have targeted the ordinary population. One should not think that Al-Shabaab is fighting AMISOM or the Somali security forces or other troops in the country. They should know that Al-Shabaab is the enemy of all existing Somalis,” noted Lt. Gen. Soubagleh.
Lt. Col. Dr. Boniface Mandishona, the Force Medical Officer, said his office has formulated a medical support plan in response to the crisis.
“As we speak right now we are in the process of collecting blood at Force Headquarters for those who have been injured. Yesterday we were at the stadium collecting blood. We have cleared our hospital so that we are ready to receive more patients from the civilian side if the need is required,” said Dr. Mandishona.
Also, AMISOM has carried out a medical needs assessment and made a request to the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa as well as the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) for medical supplies and other necessary materials to aid the victims recover from the blast.
“We should be able to help the Somali people through this crisis,” Lt. Col. Dr. Mandishona said.
