Lawer Shabelle administration refutes any AMISOM killings of civilians in last week
The administration of Lower Shabelle region has discarded reports saying African Union Peace-keeping Mission in Somalia (troops) have killed civilians in Marko town last week.
Speaking to Goobjoog News to Goobjoog News, the spokesman of the administration Mohamed Shiine said that those people killed in the town were Al-Shabab fighters and their sympathizers.
“We have no report saying AMISOM has killed civilians in marko town. Those killed were Al-Shabab members and their sympathizers” he said.
African Union soldiers have several times shot dead civilians in the coastal Somali town of Marka.
On 17th this month AMISOM soldiers have allegedly fired at pedestrians and nearby civilians after their convoy was attacked with hand grenade.
The incident claimed lives of three people who happened to be near the area during the incident.
AU officials have not so far commented on the incident which follows previous incidents in which soldiers’ convoy overrun civilians crossing streets and sped away unstopped.
Residents have expressed outrage at the incident as soldiers often shoot nearby pedestrians once grenades are hurled by suspected militants.
The development has the potential to inflame anti foreign forces sentiment in the town which has seen a relative stability since the ouster of Al-Shabab fighters by Somali troops backed by AU forces.
In the meantime, local elders in the town warned such incidents would create distrust and further strain relations between residents and AU forces, a scenario that may make it hard for forces to pacify the volatile Lower Shabelle region.
The region has seen heavy fighting between allied forces and Al-Shabab fighters over the last few months.
Al–Shabab group often uses such incidents as a war propaganda to draw support from locals to prop up its deadly guerilla war against AU forces in Somalia.