Darren Bernhardt
Thursday December 28, 2023

A long-haul truck driver from British Columbia, reported missing shortly after arriving in Winnipeg for a delivery on Friday, has been found dead, according to a family friend.

Farah Ali Mohamud, 34, drove to Winnipeg from Vancouver to deliver a load Friday morning and was scheduled to pick up another load on Saturday morning. His truck was found in the parking lot behind the Sherbrook Inn.

“Police informed [family] that they discovered his body not far away … from where the truck was found,” Saiyed Ahmed told CBC News on Wednesday morning.

“The story finished with the tragedy. We were all hoping to find him with better … news.”

He said the family received the news about 11 p.m. on Tuesday. Mohamud’s body was found in a house but little else is known, Ahmed said.

“It was a very devastating moment for the family,” he said. “They’re hoping to receive more answers today. That’s all they know at this point.”

Mohamud, a father of three young children, moved to Canada from Somalia in 2011, according to his father, Ali, who spoke with CBC News on Tuesday.

Ali drove to Winnipeg from Edmonton and was searching in the West Broadway neighbourhood when he spoke to CBC. He could not be reached on Wednesday.

“I think they need some privacy to process all of this. It’s a very, very sad moment,” Ahmed said about Mohamud’s family. “They have to grieve and they need the time.”

He expects the family will remain in Winnipeg until they can transport Mohamud’s body to Edmonton for a funeral. Most of Mohamud’s extended family is in Edmonton, but he lived in B.C. with his immediate family.

Mohamud had no mental health issues and was a happy, dedicated family man and very hardworking, Ahmed said.

“That’s why this is very tough for the family to process. That’s all I know,” he said.
The Edmonton-based Somali Canadian Education and Rural Development Organization also posted on its Facebook Tuesday night that Mohamud had died.

“We are sorry to report that Farah Ali Mohamud has lost his life. Please send thoughts and prayers to his family,” the post stated.

The organization had posted a missing person alert for Mohamud earlier the same day.

Mohamud works for Reef Trucking Enterprises, which is headquartered in Surrey, B.C. The company would not confirm anything when reached by CBC News on Wednesday.

“Mr. Farah completed his delivery and was resting at the truck stop. Anything after was not his active role per company policy,” a spokesperson said in an email. “The police is in charge and further questions should be directed to them.”

Winnipeg police have not released any information, other than to say a missing person’s report had been made by family members on Saturday and that an investigation had been initiated.

Thursday December 28, 2023

Qatar Red Crescent Society’s medical convoy surpassed targets in providing critical health services in Mogadishu.

The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has successfully concluded a medical convoy offering general surgery and urology services at the De Martini Government Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia.

This initiative, a collaboration with Somalia’s Ministry of Health, was funded with a total of 416,302 QAR.

Spanning 17 days, the project primarily targeted the poorest and most vulnerable patients in and around Mogadishu. A special focus was placed on villages and camps housing internally displaced persons (IDPs), ensuring that those most in need received critical healthcare.

The medical team engaged in a comprehensive process that began with the screening and clinical diagnosis of 736 outpatients.

Following this, 494 individuals received laboratory testing and medical prescriptions. Notable in the project was the successful completion of 242 surgeries, divided into 221 general and 21 urology operations.

Furthermore, the hospital’s infrastructure received significant upgrades.

This included the rehabilitation of the main operating room, where improvements were made to the surgical light and air conditioning systems, alongside the restoration of walls, ceilings, and floors. The project also ensured the inspection and maintenance of the hospital’s main power supply lines.

Remarkably, the project surpassed its initial targets set in the action plan. The original goals included 600 medical examinations, 200 procedures, 400 medical prescriptions, and postoperative care for the patients. Additionally, it aimed at enhancing the skills of local medical professionals.

With its successful completion, the QRCS has underscored its commitment to providing essential healthcare services to those most in need in Somalia.

The situation of IDPs in Somalia has become increasingly dire in recent years. Since 2021, the country has seen over 3.86 million people displaced due to a combination of conflict, insecurity, drought, and floods, making Somalia one of the countries with the highest number of IDPs globally.

A significant number of IDPs in Somalia are grappling with moderate to large food consumption gaps, and many main IDP settlements are classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) status, indicating severe levels of acute food insecurity and malnutrition.

Thursday December 28, 2023

Sumayo Jama Farah, 12, is one of many inspiring students who participated in a project in the Puntland State of Somalia to provide displaced children with quality primary education.

Sumayo is enrolled in class five at Jeexdin School in Galkacyo, one of the schools participating in an education programme run by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The programme helps to build schools, trains teachers and community education committees, and provides teaching and learning materials for students.

The project was implemented in three schools: Jeexdin IDP Primary School in Galkacyo, Jillab IDP School in Garowe, and Girible IDP School in Bossaso. Through these concerted efforts, 1,000 students are benefiting from the education programme.

Education takes a back seat

In Somalia, violence and widespread displacement have upended the lives of countless Somalis and disrupted children’s education. A total of 4.8 million children are out of school across Somalia, while 3.5 million require emergency child protection services, according to a March 2023 report by UNICEF.

Families have been uprooted from their homes and struggle to afford school fees due to a lack of stable income. Education often takes a back seat as families prioritise paying for food for their children.

Students identify barriers to education

Twenty students from Jeexdin School, 10 girls, and 10 boys, participated in an advocacy session, on the importance of early childhood education and preparing them to become future leaders. The interactive session delved into discussions about youth activism and active citizenship, addressing a crucial question: “What are the obstacles preventing children in our community from accessing education?”.

Through engaging activities and dialogue, the young learners identified various barriers hindering school attendance.

According to the students, financial constraints are a significant challenge, as many families struggle to afford the costs associated with education. There is also a lack of awareness about the importance of education and its long-term benefits.

The students explained that limited educational facilities within the community make it difficult for children to access quality education close to their homes. The session highlighted the unique challenges faced by students with disabilities, who often encounter additional barriers that prevent them from attending school.

Sumayo aspires to become a teacher

Sumayo has 12 siblings. Her mother is the breadwinner and runs a small business in the market. Sumayo talked about how the education programme has provided her and her siblings with the invaluable opportunity to attend school every day.

“We are not worried about school fees or learning materials. We have everything in our school. We have just received scholastic materials to support our learning journey,” says Sumayo.

Sumayo aspires to become a teacher in the future, driven by her passion to teach and empower displaced children in her community.

“I hope that being a teacher will not only give me the chance to teach displaced children but also allow me to earn enough to support my family and repay my mother’s unwavering support and dedication as she has been the sole provider for our family,” says Sumayo.

Despite the positive impact of the education programme, Sumayo, her siblings, and other children have an underlying fear of losing this opportunity, since it is entirely dependent on continued funding. With sustained support from donors, NRC hopes to continue the programme so that students like Sumayo can fulfil their dreams.

Thursday December 28, 2023

Travelling over 100,000 nautical miles during a 235-day voyage, Ma Liang, captain of the Chinese navy frigate Jingzhou, arrived in China earlier this month after successfully completing his latest escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.

Ma is a member of the 44th fleet dispatched by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy to carry out escort operations in the two areas. During the mission, the fleet escorted a total of 33 Chinese and foreign ships to ensure their safety on the sea.

Ma recalled that the first time he participated in one of these missions in 2009, the Gulf of Aden still faced a regular threat of pirates. Today, according to the navy officer, fewer and fewer pirates can be found in the busy gulf.

Since December 2008, China has been dispatching naval ships to carry out vessel protection operations in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.

Over the past 15 years, 45 consecutive fleets, 150 vessels and 35,000 personnel of the PLA Navy have joined the efforts, escorting more than 7,200 Chinese and foreign vessels, including 12 World Food Program ships.

To ward off pirates, the PLA Navy has adjusted and expanded its escort zones persistently, improved its escort tactics, and carried out diversified drills and exchanges with navies of other countries.

In the Spring of 2011, the frigate Xuzhou of the 7th escort mission fleet successfully escorted the vessels tasked with evacuating Chinese nationals out of Libya. It was the first time that a Chinese warship participated in a civilian evacuation amid a humanitarian crisis.

After civil war broke out in Yemen in the spring of 2015, the 19th escort mission fleet sailed to the country, evacuating a total of 683 Chinese nationals and 279 foreign citizens from 15 different countries.

During the evacuation of Chinese personnel in Sudan in 2023, the 43rd escort mission fleet’s destroyer Nanning and supply ship Weishanhu ensured that more than 1,000 Chinese and foreign people leave the country successfully.

The PLA Navy’s endeavors have won widespread recognition, with many merchant vessels from other countries applying for Chinese navy escorts and protection.

In September this year, the 45th escort mission fleet set sail from China and embarked on its journey to continue the PLA Navy’s unrelenting quest for peace in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.