Tuesday September 12, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Somali Security Forces (SSF) have launched an investigation into an incident that resulted in the killing of a civilian man and the wounding of an ATMIS soldier at the Madina gate in Mogadishu on Sunday.
The ATMIS mission released a statement on Tuesday, explaining that an unidentified man attempted to gain access to the Halane basecamp, which houses the African Union Transition Mission (ATMIS) and United Nations (UN) offices, without undergoing the mandatory security screening.
“A vigilant soldier on duty promptly approached the individual, requesting compliance with standard security procedures, including passing through the security scanner for routine security checks. Unfortunately, the individual declined to cooperate and became violent, brandished a knife, and attacked the soldier stabbing him three times on the stomach, the neck and the shoulder,” the statement said.
“In a swift response to the immediate threat, another soldier stationed at the access point neutralised the individual responsible for the attack. ATMIS acknowledges and commends the swift actions of the soldiers involved in this incident,” the statement added.
The soldier who sustained serious injuries during this incident was evacuated to ATMIS Level 2 Hospital in Mogadishu and is currently receiving intensive medical care.
ATMIS reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of personnel and all individuals who frequent and work in the base camp.