March 31, 2016– The terror attack in Somalia’s city of Mogadishu on a school bus, which resulted in the loss of five beautiful friends and the injuries of others, among whom were school-aged children, has once again wrenched our hearts already wounded by recent tragedies.

The targeting of teachers who immigrated to provide education services to the Somalia people, their Somalia colleagues, and students, by terrorist groups is deplorable.

I condemn this attack in the strongest terms, its perpetrators, and all forms of terror.

I pray that God, the most Compassionate bestow His mercy on my teacher brothers and sisters, Hıdır Çalka and Kemale İsmailov, and their Somalia colleagues İsa Hacı, Amr Omar Salim, and Mohamed Ahmed Arale—all of whom I believe had pure hearts, and tongues that were a loyal interpreter of their inner depths.

I pray that God the Merciful refreshes them with the shade of reunion in the afterlife, compliments them as He would do for special guests, and crowns these graces with His satisfaction.

I wish the parents, spouses, children, relatives, and loved ones of our brothers and sisters patience and fortitude, and speedy recovery to the wounded.

I send my condolences to the people of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Somalia who have lost their citizens in this tragic event.

About Fethullah Gülen 

Fethullah Gülen is an Islamic scholar, preacher and social advocate, whose decades-long commitment to education, interfaith dialogue and altruism has inspired millions in Turkey and around the world. Gülen is the honorary chairman of the Rumi Forum, Washington, DC and the Intercultural Dialogue Platform, Brussels, Belgium.

About Alliance for Shared Values 

The Alliance for Shared Values (AFSV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as a voice for cultural organizations affiliated with Hizmet, a civil society movement inspired by prominent preacher and peace advocate Fethullah Gülen. The Alliance strives to promote peace and social harmony by helping reduce misinformation and false stereotypes about any or all ethnic, cultural and religious communities. To learn more about the Alliance, please visit www.afsv.org.

Media contact 

media@afsv.org

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