Somali Lawlessness Continues

(25 May 09 - RV) Somalia’s president has urged the international community to help his forces fend off hardline Islamist rebels who have hundreds of foreign fighters in their ranks. A surge in violence this month has killed nearly 200 people in Mogadishu and driven some 60,000 residents from their homes. Last week, the group captured the town of Jowhar just outside of the capital, and raided a Unicef compound in the town which was the main hub for the provision of humanitarian supplies and vaccines to the central and southern regions of Somalia. We spoke to deputy representative of Unicef Somalia, Hannan Sulieman, about what impact this will have on humanitarian efforts in the area…