Mentally Disabled Man Rescued from Danger in Mogadishu, Somalia 

Mogadishu Children's Village
SOS Children's Village Mogadishu
October 19, 2011: A daring rescue by SOS Children's Villages staff saved the life of Ayanle Abdi Mohamed (29), a mentally disabled man who was feared dead when his home - the local SOS Children's Village - became the front line in a week-long battle between government troops and al-Shabab militants.
        
"The family is complete at last," cried a tearful Osman Shukri, the Director of the SOS Children's Village in Mogadishu, upon embracing the Village's most popular son who arrived home after a five-day ordeal. Ayanle was trapped for five days in Somalia's most controversial battle zone: the SOS Children's Village and SOS Hospital.

The Village resident, who went missing after the hospital was evacuated without notice on Sunday, October 9th. It was feared that he was a victim of the crossfire that ensued. Sparing no effort to find him, SOS security staff risked sniper-fire as they entered the compound on October 14th where they were warmly embraced by the village resident. Ayanle, who was immediately seen by SOS doctors, has since returned to his overjoyed family, who resides in a safe environment 8 miles away.

The body of the former SOS employee Ali Shabiye has been recovered from the hospital grounds, where he died following a mortar attack on October 10th. The recovery was made possible following negotiations with military personnel in the area.

Positive dialogue has now commenced between AMISOM/TFG* forces and SOS Staff who have been assured that the SOS Children's Village compound is under their protection and is not being used by troops. Meanwhile, some SOS Hospital medical staff have been deployed to assist their colleagues at the SOS Medical Center in the Badbado camp where -- last month alone -- they treated 4,500 internally displaced people in need on lifesaving medical care.

*AMISOM – African Union Mission in Somalia
TFG - Transitional Federal Government