AMISOM confirms the sentencing of two of its officers to death

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has issued a statement confirming the sentencing to death of two of their soldiers implicated in the killing of 7 civilians in Golweyn village, Lower Shabelle region on August 10.

AMISOM said the five soldiers, two sentenced to death and three others handed 39 years each in prison, will be repatriated from Somalia to Uganda to serve their sentences after they were found guilty of killing seven civilians.   “As soldiers, we have a responsibility to protect lives and property. Our mission in Somalia is to degrade Al-Shabaab and other armed groups. In doing so, we absolutely have every responsibility to protect the civilian population, and this is very clear in our Rules of Engagement,” said the Ugandan People Defence Force Contingent and AMISOM Sector 1 Commander, Brig. Gen. Don Nabasa.

The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and  Head of AMISOM, Ambassador Madeira thanked the Government of the Republic of Uganda and the Federal Government of Somalia for their co operation and support, adding that he deeply regrets the killing of the civilians and condoled with the bereaved families for the tragic incident.  “As a Mission, AMISOM remains deeply committed to the cause of peace, security and stability in Somalia and the protection of the local population in strict respect of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law, and AMISOM rules of Engagement. A

ll these instruments are part and parcel of our core values and mandate,” said Ambassador Madeira.  The killing of the seven civilians which occured in Golweyn sparked national outrage, prompting Prime Minister Roble to summon the Ugandan Ambassador to Somalia to explain circumstances surrounding the deaths of the innocent Somali people.