VZCZCXRO4427
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #0409 0580845
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270845Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8673
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 2126
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0524
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000409 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E 
BRUSSELS FOR ACTING A/S CARTER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO PTER SO BY
 
SUBJECT:  SOMALIA - Ambassador Visits Wounded Burundian Troops 
 
Ambassador Visits Wounded Troops 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1. (U) On February 25, Ambassador Ranneberger visited the fifteen 
Burundian troops who were wounded in the February 22 suicide bomb 
attack on their Mogadishu base and subsequently evacuated to 
Nairobi.  The Ambassador was joined by the Czech Consul 
(representing the EU Presidency), the Charge d' Affaires at the 
Somali Embassy in Nairobi, and AMISOM officials.  The Ambassador 
first called on the soldiers in their room, offering condolences for 
their eleven colleagues who were killed in the attack and thanking 
them for their efforts in Somalia.  The soldiers reacted very 
positively to the visit, thanking the Ambassador for personally 
visiting them and reaffirming their dedication to their mission.  He 
then made remarks to media assembled outside of the hospital, 
including five Somali outlets, three Kenyan outlets, and an outlet 
covering the Great Lakes region. 
 
Text of Press Release 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Post released the following press release and a photograph to 
Somali media outlets following the visit: 
 
Begin text. 
 
U.S. Embassy, Nairobi, Kenya 
 
Press Release 
February 26, 2009 
 
U.S. Ambassador Visits Wounded AMISOM Troops 
 
United States Ambassador Michael Ranneberger today visited the 
fifteen Burundian troops who were wounded in Sunday's suicide bomb 
attack on their base in Mogadishu, and subsequently evacuated to 
Nairobi.  The Ambassador was joined by counterparts from the 
European Union, the Somali Embassy in Nairobi, AMISOM, and senior 
staff from Nairobi Hospital. 
 
Ambassador Ranneberger offered condolences for the eleven soldiers 
who perished in the attacks.  He also thanked the troops for their 
service to Somalia, noting that they are a credit to Burundi as they 
work to rebuild Somalia.  Ambassador Ranneberger reviewed the 
measures the international community is taking to support the 
Transitional Federal Government, so that the Somali government can 
ultimately provide for its own security.  Finally, the Ambassador 
remarked with admiration that one of the wounded soldiers told him 
that, if given the opportunity, the soldier would return to Somalia 
to finish his mission. 
 
End text. 
 
RANNEBERGER