Mother of Kidnapped in Somalia Bulgarian Unaware of Daughter Whereabouts

Society | November 6, 2008, Thursday // 00:00

The mother of Danka Panchova, the Bulgaria Aid worker, who was kidnapped in Somalia stated on Wednesday that she last heart from her daughter a month ago and was unaware of her current whereabouts.

In a special interview for the Darik radio Zorka Panchova explained that the organization her daughter was working for did not have any information about the abducted workers as of Thursday, adding that Danka last called her a month ago feeling well and in good spirits. The call did not include any indications that Danka had any suspicions or knew anything about being exposed to a dangerous situation.

The mother further explained before the Darik radiothat representatives of the French organization Danka worked for called one of her cousins in Bulgaria Wednesday evening since Danka's parents do not speak French. During the call they promised to provide information as it became available, but have not done so yet.

According to the parent, Danka has previously been on missions in Somalia, Myanmar and Nepal and has been involved as humanitarian worker for quite some time.

On Wednesday gunmen stormed an airstrip in central Somalia kidnapping six foreign aid workers of the French organization Action Against Hunger, a spokesman for the European Commission said in Brussels.

The Bulgarian Danka Panchova is reportedly one of them. The others include two Kenyans, two French, and a Belgian.

"Heavily armed men with three battle-wagons and three small cars kidnapped the foreigners who landed in a plane, and also some people waiting for them at the airstrip," said a local resident, Farah Osman, as cited by the Irish Times.

Aid workers have been increasingly targeted this year in Somalia, where insurgents are fighting the government and its Ethiopian military allies.

Bulgarian authorities say they have difficulties collecting information about the case, as there is no Bulgarian embassy in the African country.

Local Somalian authorities cited by Darik News reported on Thursday that the Bulgarian woman and the five other foreigners, who were abducted Wednesday in Somalia, have been moved to the central area of Cell Buur.

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