Prominent civil society leader passes away in Mogadishu

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Sunday May 29, 2022

Mogadishu (HOL) - A prominent and well-respected peace activist passed away in Mogadishu on Saturday night, his family and friends have confirmed.

Abdullahi Shirwa passed away in his home after a bout with illness. Shirwa had been a visible leader of Somalia's civil society since the collapse of Somalia's central government in 1991. He was the chairman and co-founder of the Somali Peace Line (SPL), a local NGO established in 1995 that worked on conflict resolution. He also was a member of the Civil Society in Action, an umbrella organization of over 12 groups in Mogadishu.

Reporters worldwide have called on Shirwa over the years to provide on-the-ground insight into the developments of Somalia's post-war capital.

Following Somalia's most devasting terrorist attack, the catastrophic Zobe bombing in October 2017 that killed close to 600 people, Shirwa sprung into action and led a team that collected $4.4M for children who became orphans in the wake of the bombing.

Most recently, he was working on a national drought response team.

Dozens of prominent Somalis have taken to social media to offer their condolences to Abdullahi Shirwa's family, including Prime Minister Roble, who described Shirwa as a national hero who dedicated his time to serving his people.

"I ask God for patience and faith in his family and the people of Somalia he left behind and for him to make Jannatul Fardowsa his home."

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