The Tragic Loss of Our Three Colleagues in Kismayo, Somalia

On Monday January 28th MSF OCA Somalia programme was shocked and horrified when we were notified of an explosion involving MSF vehicles in the town of Kismayo, Somalia. 

The brutal attack took place as the Kismayo team was leaving for lunch after another frantic but productive morning of emergency surgery in the Kismayo Hospital. On the way back to the guesthouse the team was struck by a roadside bomb, which ripped through the second vehicle in the convoy. The vehicle was carrying three MSF international staff and the driver. The explosion caused the tragic loss of Damien Lehalle, our 27 year old French Logistician, Victor Okumu, our 51 year old surgeon and Mohamed Abdi Ali (Bidhaan) the driver of the vehicle. Charles Macharia (Charlie Tango), who was also in the vehicle was the other international logistician in the programme and survived the blast but sustained minor injuries. The other four members of the team who were in Kismayo at the time were unharmed.

Both Victor and Damien were relatively new to the Kismayo project but not new to the MSF family. Victor will always be remembered for his integrity, kindness and dedication to his patients in Sierra Leone, Darfur and for many years in South Sudan. Damien also had joined the Kismayo team earlier this year, after finishing his first mission in DRC last year. In a short time Damien made himself very much part of the team. He is remembered for his hard work, his warmth and his smiling blue eyes. Bidhaan, as he was known to the team was the Somali driver. He is survived by his wife and 3 children, left in Kismayo, and will be remembered for his committed service to MSF. Two bystanders also sadly lost their lives as a result of the blast.

The rest of the team acted with swiftness and professionalism during this tragic time and were able to be evacuated to Nairobi with in hours of the incident. The bodies of Damien and Victor were carried out of Somalia with the rest of the international team and are now with their families and loved ones. Their funerals are being planned for the coming week. Bidhaan was buried according to local practices in Kismayo directly after the incident.

This brutal attack has shocked us all, and now is a time for remembrance and reflection and appreciation for the dedication Damien, Victor and Bidhaan displayed in trying to bring some relief, help and dignity to those who needed it most in Somalia.

The exact circumstances of the dramatic incident are not yet clear, but for the moment our priority is to take care of those most affected by this tragedy, in particular Victor and Bidhaan's wives and children and Damien's girlfriend who was also a respected member of the team as well as his parents and family in France. We will miss Victor, Damien and Bidhaan greatly and again we extend our heartfelt sympathies to their families and friends.