UN relief official deplores murder of humanitarian worker in Somalia

United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland today condemned the killing of an aid worker following an ambush in Somalia's northwest last Friday.

One unnamed worker was killed and two others were injured after gunmen ambushed staff from the German Agency for Technical Assistance (GTZ) near the town of Berabera in the Somaliland region.

In a statement issued in New York, Mr. Egeland offered his condolences to the victim's family and those injured, saying such attacks cannot be tolerated.

"The killing of one of our colleagues is a tragic reminder of the risks humanitarian workers face every day," he said.

The Somalia Aid Coordination Body (SACB) - which comprises UN agencies, donors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) - also expressed its shock and sorrow in a statement after the killing.

The SACB said the killing highlights the deteriorating security situation for international aid workers operating in Somalia. On 29 January a UN field security officer was kidnapped in Somalia's south by armed militiamen before being released more than a week later.