Somali Militants Fire on US Congressman
By VOA News
13 April 2009
Suspected Islamist militants fired at U.S. Congressman Donald Payne Monday as he flew out of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Security sources in Mogadishu say mortar shells landed at the airport as Payne's plane was leaving.
The sources say no one was hurt. But the Reuters news agency cites residents as saying one shell wounded three people in a nearby neighborhood.
Payne flew into Mogadishu earlier Monday, in what is believed to be the first visit to Somalia by a senior elected U.S. politician in years.
Payne told VOA Somali service that he met with Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke.
He said they talked about the pirates off Somalia's east coast, and the future of the troubled country.
Payne said his visit had been planned for some time, and was not related to Sunday's dramatic rescue of American cargo ship captain Richard Phillips from the hands of Somali pirates.
Payne has served in Congress since 1988. He is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and is chairman of the subcommittee on Africa and Global Health. He is a past chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
