AU mission responds to claims of civilian killing in southern Somalia

Shalambood District Commissioner Nur Osman Rage accused AMISOM of intentionally killing the civilians [File photo]

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] released a statement following the death of seven individuals in Beldamin-Golweyn road in Lower Shabelle, south of the country on Tuesday.

In a tweet, AMISOM maintained the victims were members of Al-Shabaab, adding that they had laid an ambush against the troops who were in a routine operation within the region which is largely under the control of the Al-Qaeda linked group.

AMISOM further noted that after the death of the suspected militants, an assortment of weapons was recovered. The Uganda People's Defense Forces [UPDF] participated in the operation according to sources.

"AMISOM Uganda troops while on routine patrol to secure the main supply route between Beldamin-Golweyn forward operating bases in Lower Shabelle have today engaged and dislodged an Al-Shabaab ambush that had been laid in waiting," the mission said.

"During the counter-attack, 7 terrorists were killed while others sustained injuries and an assortment of weapons was recovered. AMISOM commends the bravery and fast action of its soldiers in which one peacekeeper sustained injuries."

But a statement by the state media seemed to suggest that those killed were innocent civilians. According to multiple sources, five were picked from the nearby village while two were truck drivers who were using the route at the time of the ambush.

"AMISOM forces have killed 7 unarmed civilians in Golweyn town of Lower Shabelle region, on Tuesday, Madeey Sheikh Osman, the commissioner of Golweyn told to the state media," state media reported.

Neither AMISOM nor the federal government of Somalia is yet to issue a comprehensive statement over the incident. The UPDF troops have been pursuing Al-Shabaab militants in Lower Shabelle, which is almost under the control of the militants.

One of the parents who spoke to the media accused AMISOM of "lying" to the public, adding that one of his sons was killed in the incident. He asked the union mission to take responsibility and accountability for the actions.

“My son and 6 others were mercilessly murdered by AMISOM, I call on the Federal Government of Somalia to hold Amisom accountable for this act,” said Mohamed Yonis whose son was among 7 civilians who were allegedly killed in Golweyn by Amisom forces, on Tuesday.

Shalambood District Commissioner Nur Osman Rage who spoke to BBC Somali Service accused AMISOM of intentionally killing the civilians.
"The people have been rounded up and blindfolded, forcefully sat on a landmine and detonated," Nur said.

An official working for AMISOM, who asked not to be named, told the BBC Somali service that they had not heard of the incident but would seek further information. The official said AMISOM will provide details once thorough scrutiny has been done.

But the Shalambood governor said: "With shots being fired if people die, everyone dies somewhere. These people are people who have been rounded up and blindfolded and then killed because," he said.

GAROWE ONLINE