Amnesty says strikes killed 23 civilians

MOGADISHU: Twin airstrikes by Somalia’s military using Turkish drones killed 23 civilians, including 14 children, in March, rights watchdog Amnesty International said yesterday, calling for an investigation into possible “war crimes”.

The fragile Horn of Africa nation, which has battled an Islamist insurgency for over 16 years, has a history of defence cooperation with Turkey, hosting its largest overseas military base and training facility.

The alleged strikes on March 18 hit a farm near Bagdad village in the southern Lower Shabelle region, killing nearly two dozen people and injuring 17 others, mostly children, the rights group said.

Residents told Amnesty “the drone strikes followed heavy ground fighting” between al-Shabaab jihadists and Somali security forces, the watchdog said.

Investigators interviewed 12 people, including victims, their relatives and witnesses, and analysed satellite imagery and photos of weapon fragments to establish the use of Turkish-manufactured bombs and TB-2 drones.

Mohamed Ali Deerey, who lost his younger brother and nine-year-old nephew in the attack, told Amnesty he hurried to the farm as soon as he heard the first blast, just before the second strike claimed the lives of more people.

“The scene was chaotic. There were screams, blood, and bodies all over the ground,” he said.

Amnesty said all five families affected by the strikes belonged to “the marginalised Gorgaarte clan”.

“In Somalia, civilians have borne the brunt of suffering in war far too often. These horrific deaths must not be overlooked,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s regional director for east and southern Africa.

“The Somali and Turkish governments must investigate these deadly strikes as a war crime, and put an end to reckless attacks on civilians,” Mr Chagutah added.