Kehilangan Nyawa jurukamera Bernama TV di Somalia berpunca kegagalan penganjur mendengar nasihat pasukan peninjau?,

Inilah gambar terakhir Noramfaizul Mohd Nor ketika bertugas membuat liputan Misi Kemanusiaan membantu mangsa kebuluran di Mogadishu, Somalia, beberapa jam sebelum Allahyarham terbunuh akibat ditembak pada Jumaat 2 September 2011 lalu.



Jenazah Allahyarham Noramfaizul disembahyangkan sejurus tiba di pengkalan TUDM Subang, Kuala Lumpur pada Ahad 4 September 2011.

Menurut artikel the Star ini (dibawah sekali), kematian jurukamera Bernama TV di Somalia boleh dielak jika pendapat pasukan peninjau yang lebih awal terbang ke Somalia didengari oleh penganjur.

Menurut artikel itu lagi, selepas membuat tinjauan awal, pasukan peninjau terdiri 7 orang termasuk pegawai kerajaan dan pegawai tinggi tentera Malaysia berpangkat Kolonel merumuskan, misi itu berisiko dan merbahaya.

Ringkasnya, pasukan peninjau selepas meneliti keadaan keselamatan di Somalia yang nyata tidak selamat dan amat merbahaya, mencadangkan agar misi kemanusiaan itu DITANGGUHKAN DULU...!!

Rumusan mereka, Somalia sebuah negara bergolak yang amat merbahaya, bukannya negara yang aman damai dan sentosa.

Namun entah siapa yg mempunyai kuasa VETO untuk melanggar nasihat itu dan meneruskan misi di Somalia.. akhirnya 1 nyawa yang amat bernilai, sudah tiada.

2 anak Noramfaizul berusia 3 tahun dan 8 tahun kehilangan kasih sayang bapa pada usia sebegitu muda.

Seorang isteri kehilangan suami dan tempat bergantung.. Sumbangan duit memang mencurah curah, namun ia tidak dapat menggantikan ketiadaan Noramfaizul Mohd Nor di sisi keluarga..



Namun Gundah Gulana ibu bapa Allahyarham, isteri dan 2 anak pasti dirasai hingga ke akhir hayat...

Kematian Noramfaizul diratapi.

Ringkasnya.. tak payah lah bantu orang di zon perang.. Biarlah Pertubuhan Bangsa2 Bersatu yang selesaikan semua masalah ini... (meskipun kita tahu PBB tidak pernah berjaya menyelesaikan konflik bersenjata dan perang spt mana kegagalan PBB mengekang perang Vietnam, perang Iraq, Afghanistan, Perang Bosnia dan perang saudara di Sierra Leone, Rwanda dan Nigeria)

Jika penganjur masih mahu ke Somalia, persiapan lebih rapi dan terperinci perlu dilakukan dan sebaiknya, misi hanya berlepas ke Somalia selepas Aidil Fitri bagi membolehkan persiapan lebih teliti diatur.

Dan jika mahu juga ke Somalia, pasukan misi kemanusiaan sebaiknya harus berada di 1 lokasi kem pelarian saja. Namun di Somalia, misi kemanusiaan itu pergi ke beberapa kem pelarian dan ini mendatangkan lebih banyak risiko kepada semua pihak.

Dan 1 persoalan mengapa Datuk Azeez Abdul Rahim selaku penganjur dan ketua putera UMNO berkeras mahu juga ke Somalia meskipun keadaan tidak selamat.

Mengapa dia mahu misi itu dilakukan tepat pada 1 Syawal. Adakah untuk publisiti untuk menunjukkan bahawa mereka sanggup berhari raya di wilayah bergolak ?

Untuk rekod, misi kemanusiaan ini berbeza dengan misi membantu mangsa bencana di kawasan aman seperti Jepun dan New Zealand yang pernah dilakukan Putera UMNO.

Fikirkanlah...

Di Bawah ini artikel oleh The Star mengenai isu yang kita bincangkan di atas.

It was a risky trip.

Recommendations were also made that if the humanitarian mission wanted to go, it should leave after Hari Raya to make sure all the preparations were in place.

When the team reported back to Putrajaya, the order was to stay put and wait for the team that was coming from Malaysia just a few days before Ramadan ends.

The team in Somalia met their local contacts and went up to the highest level to make all the arrangements, despite the known risks.

Another recommendation made by the recce team was for mission leader Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim to concentrate their work and set up a clinic at one selected camp for the refugees.

Unfortunately, this too was ignored. The mission decided to move from one place to another, inadvertently increasing the danger for the members who were travelling.

One of the reporters who followed the mission, TV3’s Shaharil Kadir who was interviewed on Buletin Utama Sunday night was spot on when he said preparation was important.

“But the notice that was given to us was too short. This mission is in a war zone, so certainly a longer period of time must be given for preparation and there must be standard operating procedures,” Shaharil said.

A journalist who went for the trip was asked by an officer why he was not wearing a safety vest.

His reply: “I asked for one from the company but the company said to just go ahead.”

According to an international news agency journalist, his company provides training for reporters assigned to war zones.

“It is an intensive three-day course conducted by former commandos. It provides a long list of do’s and don’ts, but basically they teach you first aid and how to recognise danger signs.

“To be honest, the course is a way for the employer to be able to say that they had equipped the staffer with adequate training.

“But, in reality, even the crash course can never provide you with the tools to survive a war zone.

“Most of it is common sense that one picks up from experience.

“The basic rule is that no story is worth it if there is even the slightest risk.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi pointed out that there were journalists who had received military training and questioned why they were not assigned.

“We have media members who went for Territorial Army training, they should have been part of the media team.”

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said this was not the time to blame anybody for BernamaTV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor’s death.

But in this case, the team was told of the risks right from the start and yet did not heed it.

Somewhere along the route from Kuala Lumpur to Mogadishu, orders were issued for the mission to continue.

An official gave a grim potential scenario saying had no government officers gone along for the trip, more coffins could have been brought home on Sunday.

Surely there must be a stop to missions like this. Advice from professionals must be taken seriously. A proper assessment must be done before any such trip.

A report prepared by the Foreign Ministry recommended that SOP for missions organised by the Govern­ment or non-governmental organisations must be in place.

This is not the first such report to give such a recommendation since Malaysia has been doing humanitarian work in places like Pakistan, New Zealand and Japan.

There is an urgent need to relook and review all humanitarian relief efforts from Malaysia in future.

Those going must know the risks that they are getting into.

I grieve over the death of Noram­faizul as a loss of a comrade.

This is surely an incident that could have been avoided

Jurukamera TV Malaysia, maut ditembak di Mogadishu, Somalia, 2 September 2011

Inilah gambar terakhir Allahyarham Noramfaizul ketika bertugas di Mogadishu Somalia. Gambar dirakam rakan setugas. Beberapa jam selepas gambar ini diambil, Allahyarham terkorban apabila terkena tembakan pada petang Jumaat 2 September 2011.






Ini adalah pemandangan di Mogadishu, ibu negara Somalia yang hancur oleh perang dan konflik berpanjangan.







Gambar Noramfaizul ini diperolehi dari Facebook rakan rakan Allahyarham. Takziah dan Al-Fatihah. Allahyarham pernah membuat liputan misi kemanusiaan Malaysia ke Gaza, Palestin dan Pakistan. Allahyaham lahir pada 14 November 1971. Anak sulung dari 6 beradik ini meninggal dunia pada usia muda, 39 tahun 10 bulan.



Allahyarham meninggalkan isteri, Norazrina Jaafar, 37 (gambar atas, kanan) dan 2 anak yang masih kecil, Mohd Irfan, 8 tahun dan Mohd Naufal, 3 tahun (kiri)



Jurukamera TV3, Aji Saregar Mazlan, (tengah) kelihatan sedang ditenangkan rakan wartawan dari NTV7 sejurus selepas kejadian tembakan itu. Aji Saregar turut cedera di lengan kanan terkena tembakan. Ketika kejadian tembakan itu, Ali Saregar dilaporkan berada dalam kenderaan pacuan empat roda sama dengan Allahyarham Noramfaizul.



Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan timbalannya, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin menyempurnakan solat jenazah Jurukamera Bernama TV, Allahyarham Noramfaizul Mohd. Nor di masjid Pangkalan Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM), Subang, pada Ahad 3 September 2011

Perdana Menteri menyifatkan Allahyarham Noramfaizul Mohd. Nor yang terkorban ketika menjalankan tugas dalam Misi Kemanusiaan Kelab Putera 1Malaysia akibat tembakan curi di Mogadishu, pada Jumaat 2 September 2011 sebagai wira negara.

Sambil melahirkan rasa kagum terhadap keperibadian Allahyarham, Najib menegaskan, pemergian jurukamera BernamaTV itu harus dijadikan model, perangsang serta semangat untuk meneruskan peranan Malaysia dalam membantu negara-negara di seluruh dunia.

“Saya amat kagum dan diberitahu Allahyarham seorang yang kuat semangat, sukakan cabaran dan sering mengikuti misi kemanusiaan di luar negara walaupun menghadapi pelbagai risiko, selain cekal dan tabah mengharungi rintangan bagi memberikan laporan terbaik kepada Malaysia.

“Beliau menaikkan imej Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang ke hadapan membantu negara lain yang memerlukan akibat malapetaka, kecelakaan termasuk kebuluran yang berlaku di Somalia.

“Saya sifatkan beliau wira negara dan kita patut melihat pengorbanan Allahyarham sebagai model, kisah yang merangsang serta semangat untuk terus memainkan peranan negara kita,” katanya.



Somalia terletak di Timur Afrika, bersempadan dengan Ethiopia dan Kenya. Negara itu antara tempat paling merbahaya untuk wartawan. Sejak 1992 hingga 2011, 34 wartawan dari seluruh dunia, terkorban di Somalia ketika membuat liputan konflik.



Somalia kerap kali dilanda kebuluran akibat perang, konflik dan kemarau berpanjangan yang memusnahkan tanaman pertanian, sumber makanan mereka.






Jurukamera Bernama TV, Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, 39 terpaksa berhari raya jauh dari keluarga apabila ditugaskan membuat liputan misi bantuan kemanusiaan 1 Malaysia di Somalia, kira kira 10,000 kilometer dari Malaysia.

Noramfaizul antara petugas media dari Malaysia yang turut menyertai rombongan kemanusiaan itu selain petugas media lain dari TV3 dan media cetak.

Tujuan media ini dibawa adalah bagi memberi lebih pendedahan kepada dunia mengenai musibah kebuluran yang menimpa 3.7 juta penduduk Somalia, mengorbankan kira kira 200 orang sehari dengan harapan dunia memberi lebih banyak perhatian dan usaha untuk membantu Somalia dengan segera dan lebih serius.

Somalia, negara yang tidak putus putus dilanda musibah samada akibat perang, konflik mahupun faktor cuaca.

Kebuluran akibat kemarau panjang menyebabkan jutaan rakyat negara miskin Afrika itu, hampir maut akibat tidak cukup makan dan diserang wabak penyakit.

Misi kemanusiaan 1 Malaysia dihantar bagi menyampaikan 300 tan metrik bekalan makanan dan ubat ubatan serta juga wang tunai. 40 doktor yang dibawa turut memberi rawatan perubatan kepada mangsa kebuluran di kem kem pelarian di Badbado, Maalin dan Mogadishu sendiri.

Rombongan Malaysia itu tiba dibumi Somalia pada 28 Ogos 2011 dan dijangka kembali ke tanah air pada 5 Sepember ini.

Pengorbanan mereka bukan kepalang. Sudahlah terpaksa menyambut 1 Syawal di medan perang dan kebuluran, 10,000 kilometer dari keluarga tercinta di Malaysia, nyawa mereka saban hari diancam tentera pemberontak termasuk Al Shabab.

Atas sebab itulah, rombongan ini dikawal ketat oleh tentera kerajaan Somalia yang lengkap bersenjata berat termasuk Mesingan Berat / heavy Machine Gun dan pelancar roket.

Setelah 5 hari di bumi Somalia, malang menimpa petugas media. Mereka ditembak ketika dalam perjalanan kembali ke Mogadishu untuk menghantar visual berita ke Malaysia menerusi internet berkelajuan tinggi. Kejadian berlaku meskipun mereka dikawal tentera kerajaan Somalia yang lengkap bersenjata.

Ketika dalam perjalanan menaiki sebuah kenderaan pacuan 4 roda berwarna jingga, berlaku tembak menembak dan Noramfaizul dilaporkan terkena tembakan dan sebutir peluru menembusi paru parunya.

Kejadian berlaku kira kira 10.30 malam waktu Malaysia atau 5.30 petang waktu Somalia pada Jumaat, 2 September 2011 bersamaan 4 Syawal 1432 Hijrah, ketika umat Islam di seluruh dunia termasuk Malaysia masih meraikan Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.

Noramfaizul terkena tembakan ketika duduk dalam kenderaan pacuan 4 roda, dekat pintu.

Sebutir peluru dilaporkan menembusi bahu dan seterusnya ke paru parunya.

Seorang jurukamera TV3 bersamanya, Aji Saregar Mazlan, turut cedera ringan di lengan dan keadaannya dilaporkan stabil.

Noramfaizul meninggal dunia ketika menerima rawatan kira kira jam 11.07 malam waktu Malaysia dan 6.07 minit petang waktu Somalia. (Somalia 5 jam lebih awal dari Malaysia)

Moga roh Allayarham dicucuri rahmat dan ditempatkan di kalangan orang beriman dan soleh. Allahyarham meninggal dunia ketika bertugas.

Ini kematian kedua melibatkan rakyat Malaysia yang ditembak di Somalia dalam tempoh 18 tahun.

Pada 1993, seorang anggota tentera darat Malaysia, Mat Aznan Awang, maut ditembak dengan RPG atau Rocket Propelled Grenade / Bom Grenad yang dilancarkan dari Roket oleh pemberontak.

Mat Aznan ketika itu sedang memandu kereta perisai Condor, secara tiba tiba muncul seorang pemberontak di hadapannya lalu menembak dengan RPG, menembusi kereta perisai itu dan membunuh Mat Aznan.

Ketika itu Mat Aznan menyertai misi pengaman Bangsa Bangsa Bersatu di Somalia yang diheret ke kancah perang antara tentera kerajaan dan pemberontak diketuai Mohd Farah Aidid.

Kematian Noramfaizul, 18 tahun setelah kematian Mat Aznan, mengejutkan Malaysia.

Peistiwa itu turut mengejutkan Misi Kemanusiaan 1Malaysia anjuran Putera UMNO. Mereka dilapokan akan bertolak balik ke Malaysia secepat mungkin, lebih awal dari jadual ditetapkan, membawa bersama jasad Arwah.

Laporan terkini menyebut, misi kemanusiaan itu dijadual bertolak balik ke Malaysia dari Mogadishu menaiki pesawat Tentera Udara di Raja Malaysia, jam 5 pagi pada Sabtu 3 September 2011 (bersamaan 10 pagi Sabtu 3 September 2011 waktu Malaysia).

Mereka dijangka tiba di Malaysia 10 pagi Ahad, 4 September 2011 selepas transit di Seychelles dan Maldives.

Tragedi ini juga mengejutkan pengamal media di Malaysia kerana kes wartawan Malaysia mati ditembak di zon konflik, jarang jarang ataupun tidak pernah berlaku.

Sekaligus menimbulkan persoalan. Mengapa petugas media Malaysia tidak diberikan jaket kalis peluru ketika bertugas di zon konflik di Somalia? Setidak tidaknya ini mengurangkan risiko kecederaan ketika ditembak.

Kenderaan pacuan empat roda yang dinaiki Noramfaizul dan media Malaysia juga kelihatan tidak mempunyai sebarang tanda dan lambang menunjukkan mereka dari kumpulan wartawan / media dan bukan tentera agar tidak ditembak oleh musuh khususnya pemberontak dan penjenayah Mogadishu.

Sebelum ini kita tahu, media antarabangsa yang membuat liputan di kawasan perang dan konflik di seluruh dunia seperti Iraq, Afghanistan dan Bosnua, menaiki kenderaan yang jelas bertanda dan bertulis PRESS / MEDIA / TV ataupun mempunyai lambang Bulan Sabit Merah agar dikenali oleh pihak bersenjata dan tidak ditembak.

Sebelum ini, media Malaysia pernah membuat liputan perang dan konflik di seluruh dunia termasuk perang Balkan di Yugoslavia serta perang di Somalia pada 1993 dimana Angkatan Tentera Malaysia turut menghantar pasukan pengaman dan seorang anggota tentera Malaysia, Mat Aznan Awang, maut ditembak dengan pelancar roket oleh pemberontak Somalia.

Media Malaysia juga pernah membuat liputan di zon konflik di Rwanda pada 1994 yang menyaksikan 1 juta orang maut akibat perang sesama sendiri etnik Hutu dan Tutsi serta liputan konflik di Aceh, Indonesia, Iraq, Afghanistan serta juga konflik di Selatan Filipina yang menyaksikan 20 tebusan diculik kumpulan Abu Sayyaf dari Pulau Sipadan, Sabah pada April 2000.

Apapun, malang tidak berbau.

Semoga keluarga Allahyarham Noramfaizul, tabah menghadapi dugaan hidup ini.

Sementara itu kematian Noramfaizul Mohd. Nor dalam kejadian tembakan di Somalia, pada 2 September 2011, menimbulkan seribu tanda tanya berhubung siapa yang bertanggungjawab melepaskan tembakan dan bagaimana jurukamera itu terkena tembakan.

Utusan Malaysia melaporkan berdasarkan kesan tembakan pada jenazah jurugambar BernamaTV itu, kemungkinan beliau ditembak dari arah atas lalu mengenai bahu kanannya dan menembusi rusuk kirinya.

Ada juga pihak yang mendakwa Allahyarham ditembak dari arah kiri lalu mengenai rusuk kirinya dan menembusi paru-parunya sehingga ke bahu kanan.

Akibat tembakan itu, Noramfaizul, 39, gagal diselamatkan meski sempat diberikan rawatan awal di bilik pembedahan di hotel penginapannya terletak dekat Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Aden Abdulle, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Pelbagai pihak juga membuat pelbagai andaian berhubung siapakah yang bertanggungjawab melepaskan tembakan itu.

Utusan Malaysia difahamkan, Noramfaizul ditembak oleh tentera Kesatuan Afrika (AU).

Saksi di tempat kejadian berkata, mereka melihat tentera AU bertindak melepaskan tembakan ke arah kenderaan pacuan empat roda yang dinaiki Noramfaizul bersama lima lagi krew televisyen dari Malaysia yang membuat liputan misi bantuan kemanusiaan dari Malaysia.

Menurut saksi, AU mahu menjadikan insiden tembakan itu sebagai alasan bagi menunjukkan Somalia masih tidak selamat dan masyarakat antarabangsa perlu campur tangan.

Katanya, AU juga berharap militan al-Shabab akan dituduh melakukan perbuatan itu.

Semua itu dilakukan AU untuk membolehkan AU terus diberi mandat dengan peruntukan berbilion dolar bagi menjaga keselamatan di negara ‘Tanduk Afrika’ itu, kata saksi itu kepada wartawan Utusan Malaysia yang turut menyertai misi bantuan itu.

Ada juga pihak yang mendakwa tembakan berkenaan dilakukan oleh militan Al-Shabaab yang sejak awal lagi tidak menyukai mana-mana negara memasuki Somalia membawa bantuan kemanusiaan bagi membantu mangsa kebuluran.

Bagi al-Shabaab, Somalia adalah ‘tanah’ mereka dan semua pihak perlu mendapatkan kebenaran militan itu untuk memasuki negara berkenaan.

Ada juga pihak mendakwa tembakan yang turut mencederakan jurukamera TV3 Aji Saregar Mazlan, 26, itu dilakukan individu tertentu yang tidak berpuas hati kerana tidak mendapat bantuan.

Pihak lain pula mendakwa tembakan itu dilepaskan oleh pihak yang tidak menyukai rakyat Barat memasuki Somalia.

Atas dasar benci itu, mereka bertindak melepaskan tembakan amaran yang mengenai pacuan empat roda yang dinaiki pengamal media dari Malaysia.

Seramai 15 wartawan Malaysia termasuk seorang wartawan Utusan Malaysia dan dua blogger menyertai misi bantuan kemanusiaan anjuran Kelab Putera 1Malaysia itu.

Malaysian TV Cameraman shot dead in Mogadishu, Somalia, 2nd September 2011

Friday, 2nd September 2011 is a sad and tragic day to the Malaysian Media fraternity. They lost a fellow professional who was willing to work anytime anywhere to povide news services to Malaysians and to the world.

Bernama TV Cameraman, Noramfaizul Mohd Noor, 39 was killed while on duty in war torn Mogadishu, Somalia. He was shot by rebels. A bullet pierced through his shoulder into his lungs. Despite efforts by doctors, he could not be saved. May his soul rest in peace.



This is the last picture of Noramfaizul, seen here working in war-torn Mogadishu, hours before his tragic and untimely death.



Noramfaizul leaves behind wife, Norazrina Jaafar, 37 (pic above, left) and 2 small children, Mohd Irfan, 8 years old and Mohd Naufal, 3 years old (pic above, right)



Noramfaizul had been to Gaza, Palestine and Pakistan, doing news coverage on humanitarian missions by caring Malaysians.





Another TV Cameraman from Malaysia, Aji Saregar Mazlan of TV3, (picture above-middle), was injured in his right arm. He was seen being consoled by fellow journalists from NTV7 Malaysia. Aji Saregar was seated in the same 4 wheel drive vehicle as Noramfaizul when the shooting happened.



Meanwhile Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (picture above) has described Noramfaizul Mohd Nor as a true Malaysian hero "who embodies our role to help wherever help is needed".

Expressing sadness over what had happened, Najib said: "We've lost a very
noble and a truly dedicated Malaysian.

"He was willing to take the risk to provide extensive coverage of our
missions to help others in many parts of the world."

Speaking to Bernama from Perth, Australia on Saturday, 3rd September 2011, Najib said he was cutting short his visit to Perth and would be flying back to Kuala Lumpur to enable him to be at the military airbase in Subang for the arrival of Noramfaizul's remains on Sunday, 4th September 2011.

Mogadishu, Somalia, 2nd September 2011.

Bernama TV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, 39, of Malaysia, sacrificed his Hari Raya festive season and his life to do news coverage in Somalia with the Putera 1Malaysia Club for the Humanitarian aid mission.

The Mission is to help send food and medicine as well as providing medical aid to thousands of famine-stricken Somali, hit by long drought and endless wars and armed conflicts.

Noramfaizul hoped that through his news coverage, the world will give more attention to the plight of the Somalis and give more helping hands to save the starving and dying Somalis.



It is estimated that 3.7 millions Somalis are in famine and 200 victims die each day.

However, that noble intention was never appreciated by some heartless and evil-hearted Somalis.


This is a view of the devastation in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia due to endless wars and conflicts.



Somalia is a very dangerous place for Journalists, just like Iraq, Afghanistan, Philippines and Mexico. According to Committee to Protect Journalists Worldwide, C-P-J, 34 journalists from various countries, died while covering the wars and conflicts in Somalia between 1992 to 2011.

During the same period of time, 71 journalists died in Philippines, 25 died in Mexico, 150 died in Iraq and 23 died in Afghanistan.


Somalia is located in the East of Africa, near Kenya and Ethiopia.

Instead, they shot and killed Noramfaizul in Mogadishu on Friday night, 2nd September 2011 or the 4th Day of Syawal where Aidil Fitri is still being celebrated joyfully by Moslems worldwide.

This incident shocked the Malaysian media fraternity.

No Malaysian journalists lost their lives in recent years, while doing news assignments in war zones and conflict areas in various parts of the world.

The Malaysian media had done news coverage during wars and conflicts in Bosnia, Iraq, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Congo, Lebanon, Southern Philippines, Indonesia and many more, but they came back unscatched.

Noramfaizul went to Somalia as a dedicated journalist, but he is now gone.

According to Khairulanuar Yahaya, a Bernama TV journalist in Mogadishu, Noramfaizul was with members of the electronic media on a 4 wheel drive vehicle and heading to the city's commercial centre to send visuals back to Malaysia, using high speed internet, that were earlier recorded.

Suddenly, he was hit by a bullet fired at an army truck by rebels.

The bullet had pierced through his lungs.

The incident happened at 10.30pm Malaysia time and Noramfaizul passed away at 11.07pm (Malaysian time) which is five hours ahead of Mogadishu, while receiving medical attention.

Khairulanuar said shots were fired at a government army truck that was accompanying the media vehicle and a stray bullet hit Noramfaizul who was seated by the door.

The humanitarian mission to Somalia arrived in Mogadishu on August 28th, 2011 and expected to return on September 8th, 2011.

Now that the incident cost the life of a member of that mission, the entire members of that mission are scheduled to go back to Malaysia, earlier. The situation in Somalia is too dangerous for the mission to continue their stay.

Latest news, the Malaysian Humanitarian Missions are scheduled to fly back to Malaysia from Mogadishu at 5 am (10 am Malaysian time), on Saturday 3rd September 2011 and is due back in Malaysia on Sunday 4th September 2011 at 10 am.

Another TV cameramen Aji Saregar Mazlan of TV3, who was also shot at, escaped with light injuries on his right hand.

Armed conflicts in Somalia not only make life hard for the victims of drought and famine, they also make it extremely difficult to channel international aid.

The humanitarian mission to Somalia organised by Putera 1Malaysia Club has to be accompanied by armed personnel whenever they distribute food and supplies.

Ever since the mission landed at the Mogadishu International Airport on August 28, 2011 they had been closely guarded by government soldiers.

Aid distribution is overseen by security forces carrying heavy arms, including rocket launchers.

In Somalia, it is common to see citizens carrying weapons such as AK-47s in city streets. Neither soldiers nor police, they are armed for self-protection as violence continues in the aftermath of the long civil war.

The war began in 1991 when the Somali Union of Congress appointed Ali Mahdi Muhammad as the new president, against the opposition of the armed wing of the union, led by General Muhamad Farah Aidid.

To date, Somalia has failed to form a permanent government. Armed conflicts between tribes continue.

The situation has been made even more unstable by the Al-Shabaab anti-government group of Somalis, now controlling certain regions of the country.

"They have no identification," said government officer Abdul Razak Duale of the group. "They wear masks. You can't see their faces. You don't know who they are. Maybe it's your son."

Within the 55-member Malaysian mission, security measures include confinement to residential grounds between 6 pm and 6 am daily.

Mission members engaged in aid distribution are trained to leave an area when a situation becomes out of control.

"In view of the grave uncertainty, we are prepared to face any eventuality, and that was our pledge," said mission head Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Putera 1Malaysia Club chairman.

Mission members have distributed 300 tonnes of goods to residents of camps around Mogadishu, including Badbado and Maalin camps last Thursday, 1st September 2011.

The mission has also delivered medicine to the Somali Ministry of Health, and contributed RM30,000 (US$10,000) to the Somali National Eye Centre.

Rest in Peace to Noramfaizul and condolences to his family.