NAIROBI Dec 23, 2011 (AFP) — A gunman on Friday killed three aid workers including two World Food Programme employees in central Somalia, a WFP official said, the latest attack against humanitarian officials in the war-torn nation.
"An individual opened fire killing outright one WFP staff member and a man working for a cooperating partner. A second WFP staff member was shot and later died as a result of his injuries," WFP said in a statement.
Local residents identified all three as Somalis.
The attack took place near the settlement of Mataban, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Ethiopian border in central Somalia's Hiran region, a frontline area between hardline Shebab Islamists and rival militia.
"The individual then gave himself up and is currently in the custody of the local authorities," WFP said.
WFP has temporarily suspended its operations in the area, where it has been working since 2009.
The motive of the attack was not immediately clear, but the area is awash with rival militia groups and close to areas controlled by the Al-Qaeda linked Shebab.
"The men were attacked on their way to a camp, two of them died in the spot and another died later," said Saleban Ahmed, a witness told AFP by telephone.Continued
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