Wednesday May 8, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Somali government on Wednesday rejected the Amnesty International report accusing the Somali government of killing more than two dozen civilians in strike by Turkish drones in the Lower Shabelle region.
Deputy Minister of Information Abdirahman Adala stated that the government does not have any information on civilian casualties in its military operation against al-Shabab across the country.
"The military operations are ongoing throughout the country. What we can confirm is that there have been no civilian casualties in any operation conducted by the military, and the military is maintaining a high level of vigilance," said Minister Abdirahman Al-Addala.
The Deputy Minister of Information also mentioned that the Somali government has specified targets for the Turkish drones. He emphasized that in the various conflict zones, there is no reliable information about civilian casualties after the government conducted follow-up investigations.
The London-based watchdog detailed the deaths of 23 civilians, including 14 children and five women, in drone strikes on March 18 in the southern Somali region of Lower Shabelle, citing interviews with victims and eyewitnesses, as well as a review of satellite imagery and medical reports.
“Attacks that fail to differentiate between military objectives and civilian objects are indiscriminate and may amount to war crimes,” the watchdog said. The strikes wounded 17 others, including 11 children and two women, Amnesty added.
The Lower Shabelle region has been one of the worst affected by the insurgency of the extremist group Al-Shabaab, designated as a terrorist organization by the US government. In March, Al-Shabaab stormed a military base in the region, resulting in the deaths of nearly 20 soldiers. The drone strikes on March 18 came after heavy fighting between Al-Shabaab and Somali security forces in the area.