ICRC Geneva/Nairobi—A female nurse working for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been abducted in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

“We are deeply concerned about the safety of our colleague,” said Daniel O’Malley, ICRC’s deputy head of delegation for Somalia. “She is a nurse who was working every day to save lives and improve the health of some of Somalia’s most vulnerable people.”

The abduction happened around 8 pm local time on Wednesday night when armed men entered the ICRC compound in Mogadishu. The ICRC is in contact with various authorities to try and secure her release. It is not appropriate to provide any additional information at this stage.

“We call for her immediate and unconditional release,” said O’Malley.

For further information, please contact

Anna Nelson, ICRC Washington DC, +1 202 255 2715
Crystal Wells, ICRC Nairobi, +254 716 897 265
Krista Armstrong, ICRC Geneva, +41 79 217 32 87