Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Reports From Somalia: Egyptian Doctors Denied Access To Mogadishu, Hundreds Of Thousands Wounded

Government Intercepts Egyptian Doctors From Entering Mogadishu
The Somali government intercepted an Arab delegation making up doctors reportedly sent by the Arab League to deliver treatment to the Somalis hurt by the ongoing fighting in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, the Arabic Asharqalawsat online paper based in London, reported on Tuesday.

Six doctors from Egypt were denied access to Mogadishu after their landing while showing their passports and identifications of their professions, the papers said.

Amir Muassa, the secretary of the League sent the doctors to Mogadishu for humanitarian purposes. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis have been wounded in Somalia turmoil, according hospital sources in Mogadishu.
The violence continues, and
at least five grenade explosions rocked Mogadishu's Bakara market on Tuesday, a day after the market was entirely shut down by explosions targeting Somali troops stationed in the area.

Witnesses said two civilians were killed and dozens more including police officers were wounded on Tuesday's grenade attacks by the insurgents. The troops sealed off the biggest Abu-Hurera mosque in the market, seizing several people.