Somali Handball Federation President Wounded in Mogadishu Violence

The president of Somali national handball federation Mohamed Hurshe Hassan has been injured during heavy fighting between Somali government forces and Al shabab militants in Mogadishu on Friday morning.

The wounded-Somali handball federation boss is currently being treated at the Madina hospital in the government-controlled southwest of the capital and his wounds are not too serious, according to a Somali handball federation statement.

“The president was about to leave from his home toward office, when a stray bullet hit him in the left leg and he is developing signs of good health,” Somali handball federation said in a statement late on Friday.

Somali Handbal.dat
Photo of the wounded president

Despite insecurity and lawlessness in the horn of African country, sporting organizations of which football is the major are still working in Somalia which has lacked a functioning central government since 1991.

For the past two decades of anarchy, lawlessness and insecurity in Somalia, many sporting leaders, players, referees and coaches were killed or wounded in Somalia.

The most well known slain officials include former Banadir regional Olympic committee chairman Hajji Abdulle Moalim Abokar, International football referee Abdi Abdullahi and TOP football Club chairman Abdi Gafaar.

Other dignitaries including Somali football federation president who also escaped different assassination attempts in the past. It is noble that despite all these difficulties the sport is still active in Somalia.

Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar

Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar is the NewsBlaze Somalia reporter. Shafi’i has extensive experience in journalism, international relations, and football management. He is the founder of Somali Sports Press Association, a long-time sports journalist and a member of the International Sports Press Association.

Shafi’i has a Master’s Degree in international Relations obtained at De Montfort University in Leicester and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Multimedia journalism from the University of Northampton. The photo shows Shafi’i in action while at CAF Centre of Excellence in Cameroon.