APA-Mogadishu (Somalia) Despite hard the situation facing Somalis and the almost daily conflicts between government forces and their allies on one side and insurgents on the other, Somali volunteers are engaged in the reconstruction of the already devastated roads in Somalia’s lawless capital Mogadishu.

Although the Somali capital witnesses almost daily armed confrontations, committee formed to carry out reconstruction work on the road and streets said it will continue the job despite the difficulties ahead.

“We are thanking the Somali people who are contributing to this national task and we are very hopeful that it will finally end in success,” Abdullahi Gheddi, a member of the Mogadishu roads reconstruction committee told APA on Tuesday.

“As you can see, we are now rebuilding the Howlwadag intersection, we will continue as long as possible, and as much money as it takes us to finish,” adds Abdullahi Gheddi, while supervising the reconstruction work on Tuesday morning.

“Some people are firing mortars and tanks to kill the innocent and destroy the country and instead we are rebuilding, we hope they would realize their mistakes and stop the shelling,” he added.

Gheddi called on the international community to help them succeed in their reconstruction task.

“What we are now using is some money collected by volunteers and this will not be enough to produce good results so we ask the United Nations and the other international aid groups for assistance,” Mr. Gheddi told APA on Tuesday.

“If we don’t build our country, no one will build it for us,” said Ali Yusuf, a teenager, who was helping in the reconstruction work.

Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991, when warlords overthrew the former military government of Mohamed Siyad Barre.

Relentless wars, famine and droughts have killed more than half a million people, while hundreds of thousands of others have sought refuge in foreign countries since then.

Source: APA