By: Yusuf M Hasan
QORILUGUD (Somalilandsun) – Three people have died and two others nursing grievous injuries after they stepped on an Anti-personnel mine in Qorilugud of Buhodle district in the eastern Somaliland Toghdeer region.
According to the mayor of Qorilugud local council Mohamed Omar Farah the deceased and injured who are all from the same family encountered the misfortune when a buried landmine exploded within their vicinity.
The mayor named the dead as Brother and sister Mahmud and Zainab Muse Abdilahi and their uncle Awil Osman Mire while the injured currently receiving medical attention at the Burao Hospital are brothers of the late Zainab.
Mayor Farah who informed that the deadly mine is part of the many planted in Qorilugud and other parts of Somaliland by Somali forces loyal to Dictator Siad Barre in the 1980’s, added that the explosion resulting in the unfortunate deaths and injuries was preceded by loud bang that was heard several miles away from the scene.
The civic leader who extended his personal condolences , those of his council and Somaliland government to the father of two the deceased, brother to the other and the injured Elder Muse Abdilahi Mire also took the opportunity to inform that mine detection activities undertaken by Halo Trust are currently ongoing in the area.
While this is the first time for a landmine to claim such a big number of lives at a go, a sizeable number of Somaliland citizens have fallen victim to the same in various parts of the country either resulting in death of maiming.
Last year a young boy sustained severe injuries after he stepped on a mine in Burao town while playing football within the vicinity of the Toghdeer regional governor’s office.
Meanwhile the continued reports of citizens losing their life or limbs from landmines buried decades ago is mystifying considering the intense detection activities undertaken for many years by both local and international agencies.
While urging urgent actions from the authorities to arrest the issue of landmines in the country we at Somalilandsun also extend our condolences to the family of the deceased while praying for the speedy recovery of the two injured.
