Addis Ababa, 17 May 2007 - The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Prof. Alpha Oumar Konare, has learnt with utter shock and disbelief of the attack on the members of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which occurred Tuesday in Mogadishu while they were on patrol, the AU said.

In a press release sent to ENA yesterday, AU said that Konare is deeply saddened by the death of four and injury of other six soldiers, all from the Ugandan contingent as a result of the unprovoked attack.

The chairperson of the Commission condemns in strongest terms this despicable attack and expresses his condolences to the families of the bereaved and commiserates with those of the wounded.

The release said the Chairperson also takes this opportunity to salute and pay deserving tribute to the gallant men and women of AMISOM, who are deployed in Somalia under the most difficult circumstances.

He appeals to them to remain engaged in the noble action of helping the people of Somalia, especially those who continue to suffer from the senseless carnage, harassment, displacements and killings.

"While calling for an immediate end to this kind of attacks, the Chairperson would like to reiterate and remind all the Somali parties that AMISOM troops are deployed to create conducive conditions for long-term stabilization, facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance, and the eventual reconstruction and development in Somalia."

Konare urges the international community to support the African Union Mission in Somalia to enable it to carry out its mandate.

Furthermore, the Chairperson stresses the need for the Somali parties not to resort to the use of force and to resolve their differences through dialogue, according to the statement.

Source: The Ethiopian Herald