Somali Football Family is in shock and sadness after a football coach was killed and two players were wounded in what seems to be accidental gunfire late on Monday afternoon while they were travelling on a busy road in Mogadishu which witnessed heavy security operations through the day.
Bariga Dhexe Football Club assistant coach, Yusuf Ali Heydar, was killed in the gunfire, while two of Elman FC’s footballers were seriously wounded.
The two players are Omar Moumin Omar and Abdullahi Mohamed Mayow and they are currently under operation at the Racep Tayyin Erdogan hospital in Mogadishu.
Initial reports indicate that soldiers opened fire on the private car in which the players were travelling after the driver was unable to stop the car when ordered to do so and as a result, they were mistakenly fired causing heavy human casualties.
The footballers were returning from a short trip to the town of Afgoye which is about 30 kilometres south of the capital when they accidentally came under fire near Elasha Biyaha district late in the afternoon.
Somali Football federation said it was very sorry for the death and wounds of football family members. “SFF is sharing the painful experience with the family of the slain coach. We pray for the quicker recovery of the two players” SFF statement carried.
“The players were travelling in a private car, not a team bus as some media outlets reported” Somali Football Federation, said in a statement on Monday evening.
“The footballers were not targeted because as a football family we are not in a fight with anyone and this tragedy was accidental. The media should look for what is accurate and they have to contact the concerned people if they are unsure of what to report” the SFF statement read.
Somali Football Federation (SFF) called on the federal government of Somalia to conduct further investigations into the gunfire.
“The two players are suffering from serious wounds. We kindly ask our government to help get top medical care for the wounded” SFF statement said.
– SOMALI UPDATE ONLINE –
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