onsdag, februari 21, 2007

CNN om svenskar i Somalia

CNN rapporterar att två av de svenskar som sitter fängslade i Somalia är vid dålig fysisk kondition, men lyckas inte få reda på om det beror på att de varit på flykt länge, eller om de blivit skadade i strid, eller om de bara är gamla och trötta oskyldiga män.

"Four Swedes have been arrested in connection with the unrest in Somalia," Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesman Andre Mkandawire told CNN.

Three of the four were Swedish citizens, while the fourth had permanent residency status, said Mkandawire. "But all four are being treated equally as Swedes."

Somalia has long been a volatile, war-torn nation. Recently, Somalia forces -- backed by the Ethiopian military -- ousted the militant Islamic Courts Union from power and established a transitional government.

It is not clear precisely where, when and by whom the four have been detained.

Jens Odlander -- Sweden's ambassador for the Somali peace process who is based in the Swedish Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya -- said the four apparently were seized as they were fleeing a war zone, possibly in early January.

No charges have been filed against the four detained people at the present time, Odlander told CNN from Nairobi.

Odlander said three of those detained have dual citizenship -- Swedish and other nationalities he wouldn't disclose.

Two were in bad health when they were seized, and one of them had been held in Kenya for a while.