Somalia: Children wounded in KDF airstrikes airlifted to Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Several children who were wounded in alleged Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] airstrikes in the Gedo region on June 3 have been airlifted to Mogadishu for further treatment, the government has said, just hours after African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] pledged to investigate the incidents.

Somali government accused KDF of waging indiscriminate airstrikes in El-Adde town killing a number of people and injuring dozens, mostly children. The latest airstrike was allegedly carried out on June 3, 2021, in the outskirts of El-Adde.

On Sunday, six seriously children aged between 1-12-year-old were taken to Mogadishu for treatment and we're received at the airport by senior government officials. The El-Adde incident, the government added, left a mother and her child dead.

"The wounded victims of Kenya’s airstrike in El Adde town of Gedo region on June 3rd were brought to Mogadishu for further treatment earlier on Sunday. Mother and her children died in the same attack," state media said in a tweet moments after the victims arrived in Mogadishu.

While KDF is yet to issue a statement to deny or admit the incident, the Somali government claimed the airstrikes were unleashed in pursuit of Al-Shabaab militants. There is a huge presence of Al-Shabaab in Lower and Middle Jubba in Somalia.

And in a statement, AMISOM pledged to carry out credible investigations into the incident, adding that it will work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that the probe is not discriminative. The statement doesn't state how long that matter would be under probe.

"The mission is currently engaged in gathering information on the incident and we shall work closely with the federal government, the ministry of foreign affairs, and other stakeholders as we investigate the matter," read the statement.

"AMISOM is obliged to carry out its mandate in a manner consistent with the outlined statutes. The mission is therefore committed to investigating all allegations of rights violations that are leveled against troops under the command in Somalia," it further said.

Kenya has close to 3,500 troops in Somalia who were first deployed under Operation Linda Nchi in 2011 before being absorbed by the AMISOM teams. The troops man Sector II and IV of AMISOM jurisdictions mainly within Jubaland state.

While KDF has been linked to civilian atrocities, the troops are credible for flushing Al-Shabaab out of Kismayo, the regional administrative capital of Jubaland. But despite the gains, the troops suffered major setbacks in El-Adde and Kulbuyow in 2016 and 2017 respectively where Al-Shabaab killed at least 300 of them.

Since then, KDF has been launching serious and effective operations against the militants safe for persistent complaints on civilian casualties. Last week, Sector-II Commander Brig. Jeff Nyagah visited various Forward Operating Bases in the country where he urged them to execute their roles properly.

The African Union Mission gutter added that: "AMISOM shall investigate this incident and share findings with all stakeholders." The troops also work closely with the Jubaland Security Forces, who get training mostly from the AMISOM troops.

GAROWE ONLINE