The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has denied accusations that soldiers had killed civilians in the Southern port town of Merca in an alleged revenge attack by soldiers after coming under an attack.
In a Press statement, AMISOM said that its troops had killed “al Shabaab fighters” not civilians to quell unrest, contradicting witnesses who said they shot dozens of civilians, including women and old men.
‘’In the ensuing gun battle to dislodge the terrorists, as AMISOM is mandated to do, five Al Shabaab fighters were killed including one of their notorious leaders, Mohammed Dahir,’’ read the statement.
Residents of a neighbourhood in Merca said troops arrived on Tuesday morning and opened fire indiscriminately after one of its Lorries was attacked with grenades.
Community leaders and local administration confirmed to the media that all the people killed were civilians and called for the Federal government of Somalia to bring justice to the soldiers behind.
The incident already had caused anger among the Somalis in and out of the country, who have accused AMISOM of killing innocent people continuously and later on claiming that they were terrorists.
Horseed Media
Somalia: AMISOM denies troops killed Civilians
Published: July 22, 2015
