NAIROBI, Kenya – A second foreigner working with Doctors Without Borders died of his wounds in an attack in Somalia that also killed the group’s country director, though the aid organization declared Friday that despite the risks it would still provide medical care in one of the world’s most dangerous countries.
The deaths in Mogadishu of Philippe Havet, 53, from Belgium; and Andrias Karel Keiluhu, 44, from Indonesia, on Thursday underscore the risks that volunteers for the group encounter all over the world. Havet was country director for MSF, as the group is known by its initials in French. Keiluhu was a doctor.
The shootings were blamed on a Somali MSF logistics officer who had been fired the day before over allegations he had been stealing medicine. The gunman was arrested after the attack.
“MSF will be relocating some staff for security reasons, but remains committed to continuing our humanitarian work in Mogadishu and elsewhere in Somalia,” the group said in a statement Friday. MSF said it was “shocked and saddened” by the deaths.
Doctors Without Borders was worried that Keiluhu could be targeted for further attack even while he was in the hospital in Mogadishu, clinging to life. An internal security report obtained by The Associated Press said that MSF asked the Somali government to protect Keiluhu.
“The clan of the former logistics officer is thought to have been making significant profits from the re-sale of stolen MSF-Belgium medicine, and there were concerns about further attempts on the doctor’s life,” the security report said.
Doctors Without Borders has endured deadly attacks before. In June 2004, five workers with the group – two Afghans, a Norwegian, a Dutchman and a Belgian – were killed by gunmen in Afghanistan. The group pulled out of Afghanistan shortly afterward. Three MSF members – a Kenyan surgeon, a French logistics expert and a Somali driver – died in Somalia in 2007 after a landmine attack that the group believes was premeditated.
The Somali employee, who ran the group’s logistics, was dismissed from his job on Wednesday, then returned to the MSF compound on Thursday and opened fire with a pistol, according to a security guard there. Guards who had not been informed of the dismissal allowed the former employee onto the compound, the security guard said.
Havet died immediately. Keiluhu died later of his wounds later despite numerous blood transfusions, said nurse Abdiaziz Haji. Keiluhu had been shot several times in the torso, Haji said.
Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said the perpetrator of the attack would be brought to justice “at the earliest opportunity.” Ali offered condolences to the families of the two aid workers and thanked them “for their enormous contribution to making the lives of Somalis better.”
“This year’s response from the international aid community to the disaster in Somalia ought to be commended,” he said, referring to the severe famine. “We welcome those who are willing to come to Somalia to work for the benefit of Somalis. This is a callous attack and a tragic example of an isolated incident and does not reflect any increased risk to international aid workers. I want to reassure the international aid community that we will do everything we can to enable foreign aid workers to operate safely in Somalia.”
Despite Ali’s assurances, the deaths underscore the dangers faced by aid workers trying to help residents in a country mired in two decades of anarchy.
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