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Monday 20 March 2006


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SOMALIA: Abducted UN staff member released

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

? ?UNICEF Somalia/Rkihara

Robert McCarthy, who was released by his abductors in Somalia on Thursday.

NAIROBI, 3 Mar 2006 (IRIN) - A United Nations staff member who was abducted by armed men on the outskirts of Afmadow town, some 110 km northwest of the southern Somali port city of Kismayo, has been released, the UN confirmed.

A statement issued by the Office of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia said Robert McCarthy, emergency officer for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Somalia was released on Thursday.

McCarthy, a 47-year-old American, "was abducted at 1100 hours" [0800 GMT], the UN said in an earlier statement. He was handed over to UN staff and members of the Somali Transitional Federal Government late on Thursday afternoon.

UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman, who was in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, met McCarthy's wife, Rosemary, and two of their children.

"We are very relieved that McCarthy has been released unharmed and thank the Transitional Federal Government for demonstrating leadership in this critical time," Veneman said.

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?Theme(s)	Other

Other recent SOMALIA reports:

UN welcomes convening of transitional parliament inside the country, ?16/Mar/06

Drought-stricken families abandon homes for Kismayo, ?14/Mar/06

Risk of humanitarian catastrophe in the south, warns FSAU, ?13/Mar/06

Fishermen appeal for help over foreign fishing ships, ?9/Mar/06

Measles campaign targets 2.5 m children, ?7/Mar/06

Other recent reports:

IRAQ: Kurdish authorities vow to upgrade services after protests, 19/Mar/06

ZIMBABWE: One half of the divided MDC heads for 'watershed' congress, 17/Mar/06

WEST AFRICA: IRIN-WA Weekly Round-up 321 covering 11-17 March 2006, 17/Mar/06

HORN OF AFRICA: IRIN-HOA Weekly Round-up 318 for 11-17 March 2006, 17/Mar/06

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: IRIN-CEA Weekly Round-up 322 11-17 March 2006, 17/Mar/06

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