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Thousands of civilian deaths in Mogadishu
Source: Agencies |
November 26, 2010, Friday
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THE only ambulance service in war-torn Mogadishu said more than 4,200 bystanders have died in warfare the last two years, and a US group that works to prevent civilian deaths said Somalia is more dangerous for civilians than Afghanistan or Iraq.
The seaside capital sees frequent barrages of mortars, rockets and artillery shells fired between Islamist insurgents like al-Shabab and pro-government forces who protect the sliver of land controlled by the UN- and US-backed Somali government.
The head of the city's ambulance service, Ali Muse, said that pro-government forces from the African Union and Somali troops are to blame for the majority of the civilian deaths - about 80 percent. The ambulance service's report was released on Wednesday.
"All of those victims are civilians killed either by stray bullets or hit by mortars or by artillery shells," said Muse, who is the head of the Lifeline Africa Ambulance Service. "About 80 percent of them died at Bakara market, which is the main target of the African Union peacekeepers."
Major Barigye Bahoku, spokesman for the 7,000-strong African Union force in Mogadishu, said he could not comment on the report because he had not read it.
Human rights groups and Mogadishu residents have repeatedly accused the African Union of indiscriminately targeting populated areas of the city with artillery fire after insurgents fire mortars toward AU troops.
The executive director of CIVIC, the US-based Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, said neither side abides by obligations under international law to avoid civilian casualties.
The seaside capital sees frequent barrages of mortars, rockets and artillery shells fired between Islamist insurgents like al-Shabab and pro-government forces who protect the sliver of land controlled by the UN- and US-backed Somali government.
The head of the city's ambulance service, Ali Muse, said that pro-government forces from the African Union and Somali troops are to blame for the majority of the civilian deaths - about 80 percent. The ambulance service's report was released on Wednesday.
"All of those victims are civilians killed either by stray bullets or hit by mortars or by artillery shells," said Muse, who is the head of the Lifeline Africa Ambulance Service. "About 80 percent of them died at Bakara market, which is the main target of the African Union peacekeepers."
Major Barigye Bahoku, spokesman for the 7,000-strong African Union force in Mogadishu, said he could not comment on the report because he had not read it.
Human rights groups and Mogadishu residents have repeatedly accused the African Union of indiscriminately targeting populated areas of the city with artillery fire after insurgents fire mortars toward AU troops.
The executive director of CIVIC, the US-based Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, said neither side abides by obligations under international law to avoid civilian casualties.
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