The Somali government needs help to fight Al Shabab

I write in reference to your online ­article Somali police end 14 hour hotel siege, as death toll jumps to 26 (July 13). Your elaborate article on the recent Somali hotel siege by Al Shabab was well written, if dispiriting.

Rightly, the brutal attack has been condemned across the world, not least because it claimed victims from the US, Canada and the UK, alongside Somalis.

A candidate for regional president was also murdered by the terrorist group. Al Shabab has long sought to topple the government of Somalia and attacking prominent, luxury hotels is a recent trend for Al Shabab, as well as a number of other terrorist groups.

This act is absolutely unacceptable and the perpetrators should be brought to swift justice. The Somali government should do all it can to safeguard foreign tourists and local professionals, journalists and politicians. Whether it can do this without international support is another story, after decades of violence and insecurity in the fragile Horn of Africa nation.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru

Conversations between diplomats must be private

I write in reference to Tom Fletcher's opinion piece The Kim Darroch debacle shows that we need our diplomats to be honest more than ever before​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ (July 13).

The ambassador represents an entire nation in another country, irrespective of it being friendly or hostile. Words between and among diplomats and officials must be kept secret, away from the public eye. Any irresponsible act can destroy even good relations between nations.

Nazim Hasan Khan, India

War will never be the solution to Gulf tensions

I write in reference to Damien McElroy's piece Trump is right to be tough on Iran. Europe should now follow suit (July 14). All parties must exercise extreme caution, as one irresponsible act can ignite the fuse of war.

The US and its allies must remember the location of Iran and recognise that any attack on Iran would send ripples through the Middle East. War is not the solution to this crisis.

Name withheld by request