Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon sent his condolences to the people and government of Kenya, saying the attackers at Nairobi’s Westgate Shopping Mall are not Muslims.
Somalia’s al-Shabab militant group claimed responsibility of the terror attack that left 62 people dead and 175 others injured.
“Our hearts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We share their grief and pain. We know from personal experience of the suffering caused by these fatally misguided killers. We stand resolute with our Kenyan friends and partners in this ongoing fight against our common enemies.” Shirdon said in a press statement.
“The first thing to say is that the attackers in Westgate are not Muslims. They are a complete dishonor to the faith.
“Tragically they have been brainwashed into destroying innocent lives, theirs included. What they regard as a glory to the faith only damages it. I draw attention to the recent fatwa issued by 160 of Somalia’s most distinguished religious scholars denouncing Al Shabaab categorically and declaring it was a religious duty not to protect them but to turn them into the authorities. Be under no illusion: these men and women are without religion.” Shirdon added.
He suggested international unity to defeat the al-Qa’ida affiliated terror group al-Shabab.
“We will only defeat these killers and their ideology of hatred by standing shoulder to shoulder with our Kenyan friends and other international partners,” the Prime Minister said. “We must prosecute the fight against our enemies on all fronts. We need to educate our youth, make sure they can find employment and do not fall into the arms of the terrorists, we must communicate loud and clear that Al Shabaab’s ideology is completely deluded, defunct and doomed to failure.” The Prime minister said.
Abdi Farah Shirdon is in Geneva where he is attending an international human rights conference.
[Mareeg]