Somalia: UN Official Urges Immediate Release Of Kidnapped Staff Member
The top United Nations official in Somalia today strongly condemned the abduction of a UN staff member in the Horn of
African country, calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
Rolf Helmrich, a German national, was abducted late yesterday morning about 45 kilometres north of Kismayo in the Lower
Juba region in Somalia's south.
Maxwell Gaylard, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and Designated Official for UN Security in Somalia, issued a
statement deploring Mr. Helmrich's abduction.
"The UN mandate is to support the Somali people in their development and peace-building efforts and our staff need to be
safe in order to carry out their duties," Mr. Gaylard said.
Yesterday the UN began communicating with the region's de facto authorities in a bid to secure Mr. Helmrich's release.