Somalia to investigate shooting of 14 year old by AMISOM soldier in Mogadishu

Somalia’s ministry for security has said the government will launch investigation into the case of the young boy who was allegedly killed by AMISOM soldier as he was playing football with his friends near a military base in Yakhashid district, Mogadishu.

Security minister Abdirisak Omar Mohamed who was accompanied by intelligence boss Abdirahman Turyare in a visit to the deceased’s home said the government will seek to know the circumstances surrounding the death of the boy.

“We have appointed a committee consisting of five members which will launch thorough investigation into the case. The deceased and his family have to get justice and the government will put more efforts give justice to all those who fall victim to such incidences,” said the minister.

This comes less than 24 hours after the spokesman for Security ministry Mohamed Yussuf said that African Union backed force, AMISOM troops did not commit any crime against the civilians and whatever happened was an accident.

“AMISOM soldiers did not kill the boy intentionally so we cannot condemn them by using such terms as massacre. All these cases happen accidentally hence it is wrong for certain individuals to politic over the matter, said Yussuf while addressing reporters in Mogadishu.

The alleged murder raised questions and condemnations from the civil society members and the politicians in the country and outside Somalia.

Goobjoog News first broke the story leading to angry reactions from social media users, civil society and politicians who condemned the s hooting as deliberate and an outright violation of the law.

Among the political parties called for justice is Daljir whose Secretary General, Ahmed Mo’alim aka Fiqi criticized the AMISOM troops for killing the young boy without reason.

“We are unhappy with what AMISOM troops did the other day; we are condemning the merciless killing of Mohamed Bashiir” he said.

Speaking to the reporters at Somali Media Academy, Fiqi called on the international community and human right groups to intervene the issue where the violations against civilians are committed deliberately.

“We need justice for the young innocent boy that was killed by AMISOM soldier who was brought here in Somalia to protect Somalis” Fiqi said.

On the other hand the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM has confirmed the shooting incident but insisted saying the soldiers could have been acting on a point of defense over concerns that the boy may have crossed a defense line.

“Somebody ran into a defense position and our soldiers took it as a threat. When you’re faced with an imminent threat, when somebody would run into a defense position in that manner, definitely the soldiers would want to defend themselves,” said Paul Njuguna, the spokesman of AMISOM.

Civilian casualty unit.

Col Njuguna said the AMISOM civilian casualty unit had received information regarding the incident and he called on Somalis to utilise the new web portal in its website to report any such incidences for necessary action.

The development comes around two months after a deadly incident involving AMISOM troops in the coastal town of Marka where the soldiers were accused of shooting dead nine family members and friends who had gathered for a wedding ceremony.

The AMISOM spokesman said plans for compensation are afoot but only after the process is concluded which includes the participation of the government, AMISOM and the African Union.