Suspected rebels attack UN compound in Somalia

These attacks on international human rights and humanitarian agencies are aimed directly at removing the last protections that civilians have. When the humanitarian agencies are eventually chased out (see for example Sudan and Ethiopia) there is no check at all on the violent abuse of power.

The international community must loudly decry these attacks on humanitarian targets.

Typical of Africa but then again it is self inflicted ! sure no one has much interest at all in Sudan or Ethiopia just add them to the list of failed states

Craig Higson-Smith is right.

The humanitarian effort must go on. For this reason, I'm delighted to read that UN guards in Somalia fought back so hard, and so effectively. The UN is an organization aiming at world peace. That doesn't mean it has to stand back while its employees are killed or maimed, and humanitarian supplies are stolen. Such crimes have happened all too often.

Let's hope this points to a trend: a tougher and more assertive approach by UN security and by UN peace-keeping troops and police where they are deployed (including many hard-working South African units serving with the UN).