AU forces confirm sentencing of UPDF soldiers over killing of civilians in Somalia

Ugandan troops are the largest bulk of AMISOM and operate in Lower Shabelle region and Mogadishu [File photo]

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The African Union (AU) Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] has confirmed the sentencing of five soldiers from Uganda People's Defense Forces [UPDF] contingent in Somalia, over the killing of civilians in Lower Shabelle.

In a statement, AU forces insisted that they will continue executing their mission as outlined in existing documentation, adding that those found culpable of committing crimes will face the full force of the law.

Brigadier General Don Nabasa, the Sector I Commander of UPDF, said the main mission of the troops is to help in degrading Al-Shabaab militants, who control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.

"As soldiers, we have a responsibility to protect lives and property. Our mission in Somalia is to degrade Al-Shabaab and other armed groups. In doing so, we absolutely have a responsibility to protect the civilian population," Brigadier General Don Nabasa said.

The same statement was reinforced by Lt General Diomede Ndegeya, the AMISOM Force Commander, who said he will not allow the soldiers to veer off their main task of protecting civilians in the Horn of Africa nation.

"As AMISOM soldiers, we will among our ranks, continue to ensure strict compliance to our obligations as we carry out the task of pursuing and degrading Al-Shabaab," the Burundian noted.

On Friday, a military tribunal sitting in Mogadishu sentenced two Ugandan soldiers to death and three others to 39 years in jail for the murder of civilians in the Lower Shabelle region. The Ugandan courts-martial found the five officers guilty of killing civilians in Gobweyn in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region on August 10.

Hussein Osman Wasuge, who is the spokesperson of Lower Shabelle region farmers, told the BBC Somali service said some of the relatives of the victims and farmers had attended the case proceedings.

The proceedings had been running from October 5 at the Halane base camp where the UN and Amisom headquarters in Somalia are based. Seven witnesses had testified against the suspected Ugandan soldiers.

"For two days, the people who were testifying against the soldiers were participating in the process. The trial was taking place in Halane camp, but for us Somalis, there were no lawyers to represent us," said Hussein Osman.

The UPDF soldiers killed seven civilians after a deadly ambush by Al-Shabaab. Some of the victims were farmers, others passers-by. Last month, the AU mission took full responsibility for the unlawful killing of civilians and said soldiers’ conduct breached rules of engagement.

AMISOM initially alleged the victims were “terrorists”. The ex-governor of Lower Shabelle Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Siidii was the first official to blow the whistle on AU soldiers, stating the victims were indeed civilians. Siidii was mysteriously fired recently.

GAROWE ONLINE