Monday May 29, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - A family of six people were killed in a mortar attack in the Lower Shabelle region, allegedly carried out by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops on Sunday night.
The Ugandan troops stationed in the Ambareso area, located on the outskirts of Barawe town, the administrative capital of South West state, reportedly fired several mortar rounds toward Mudul Barale.
Eyewitnesses recounted that one of the mortars struck the family's residence, instantly killing the civilians, including children, while others from the same family suffered injuries.
The motive behind the Ugandan army's shelling of the Mudul Barawe area remains unknown. However, reports suggest that members of the Al-Shabaab group have been active in the area.
The AU mission did not comment on the incident.
This distressing incident follows last Friday's assault by Somalia's Islamist group al Shabaab attack on a military base manned by Ugandan peacekeepers in Buulo Mareer area of the Lower Shabelle region, which caused a lot of damage to the Ugandan army on Friday.
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni said late on Saturday there had been casualties during the attack but did not say how many soldiers were killed or wounded, but it was the first official admission of losses in the attack among the Ugandan troops who are serving in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).