UN official killed in armed attack in Somali capital

MOGADISHU, Somalia

Unidentified gunmen killed two people, including a UN official in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, the UN refugee agency said late Monday in a statement.

Amina Noor Mohamed "was shot by unknown gunmen while traveling in a private vehicle driven by a staff member from a UNHCR partner organization who also lost his life in the attack," the statement said.

According to the statement, she was a Senior Community Services Assistant with the UNHCR in Mogadishu since 2011.

Eyewitnesses said armed men who were in a vehicle intercepted the UN car, in which were Mohamed and Abderazzak Adam, a Somali national who was working with a local organization. The two were killed as they were still inside the vehicle.

The gunmen fled the scene of the attack before the arrival of security forces, witnesses said.

"While the details of this senseless act of violence are still being investigated, it serves as another stark reminder of the dangers many humanitarian workers face in their daily work. On behalf of all the UNHCR staff, I wish to convey our heartfelt condolences and solidarity to Amina’s family, friends and to our entire team in Somalia," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but similar attacks in the past have been attributed to the al Shabab militant group.