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4 Somalis Killed While Protesting Police Killing of Two Civilians, US Resumes Drone Air Strikes on Al-Shabab

April 13, 2019

Somalis protest against the police killing of a driver and a passenger in Mogadishu. Then, the police killed four protesters, April 13, 2019

 

Somali security forces kill at least six people in Mogadishu 43 Shares Share Tweet Email Share

By Abdi Sheikh, Feisal Omar

Hiiraan, April 13, 2019

MOGADISHU (Reuters) -

Somali security forces shot dead a rickshaw driver and his passenger in the capital on Saturday and killed another four people who were protesting against the shootings, witnesses and lawmakers said.

The protesters threw stones at police and burned tires filling the streets with black smoke.

Ads By Google “They (security forces) killed two people and after the demonstration, we understand police killed three more people,” lawmaker Mahad Salad told Reuters.

Rickshaw driver Aden Mohamed said the demonstration started after the shooting of his friend.

“Police deliberately killed my friend and his uncle as they drove in the rickshaw,” Mohamed said. He said the protesters wanted to enter the presidential palace in the center of the city, but the police opened fire on them.

https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2019/Apr/163327/somali_security_forces_kill_at_least_six_people_in_mogadishu.aspx

Demonstrators take to the streets in Mogadishu after death of bajaj driver 30 Shares Share Tweet Email Share

Hiiraan Online, Saturday April 13, 2019

Mogadishu (HOL) -

Hundreds of demonstrators descended on Mogadishu streets on Saturday to protest the shooting death of an auto rickshaw (bajaj) driver and his passenger by a policeman.

According to residents, the shooting happened at Bakara intersection. The bajaj driver was ferrying a client when the policeman opened fire, killing two of the vehicle's occupants. The officer allegedly fled the scene immediately after the shooting.

As news of the killing spread, hundreds of angry youth took to the streets to demand justice.

The youths said that they were tired of being the target of suspicion and aggression by trigger-happy police officers and soldiers. Security officials rarely face justice when they kill unarmed civilians.

Police tried to contain the protestors by firing live ammunition in the air.

There are reports that journalists covering the protests have been arrested by security officials.

In a bid to quell tensions, the Mayor of Mogadishu appeared with the police chief to calm demonstrators in the street.

Mayor Abdirahman Osman condemned the killing and said the policeman involved in the shooting is being sought.

https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2019/Apr/163323/demonstrators_take_to_the_streets_in_mogadishu_after_death_of_bajaj_driver.aspx

US Resumes Drone strikes in Somalia After Brief Pause

April 11, 2019 - By: Horseed Team

Source: Voice of America Radio website

WASHINGTON —

The United States said Wednesday it has resumed airstrikes against the al-Shabab Islamist group in Somalia, after a brief pause that followed accusations from Amnesty International that it had tried to hide civilian casualties.

The latest airstrike was carried out on Tuesday near Jilib, in the Moyen-Juba region southwest of Mogadishu, and killed one fighter, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said.

“Currently, we assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike,” AFRICOM said in a statement, adding, for the first time, that the army had procedures in place to collect follow-up information on the impact of bombings.

It was the first air raid carried out by the U.S. military since March 18. The day after that strike, Amnesty published a report saying 14 civilians had been killed and seven wounded in the course of five airstrikes attributed to the US military.

AFRICOM denied any civilian deaths in its operations, but on Friday admitted responsibility for the death in April 2018 of a woman and child, after receiving information which it said had not been previously passed on.

An inquiry is underway into all U.S. airstrikes carried out since June 2017, when the operations began.

The Amnesty charges came at a moment when the U.S. military was stepping up its operations in Somalia, with 28 airstrikes since the beginning of 2019, against 47 carried out in the whole of 2018 and 35 in 2017.

The United States is backing the military campaign of the Somali government and the African Union mission against al-Shabab, which has been operating in the country since 2007.

The group was forced out of the capital Mogadishu in 2011 and then progressively from the major cities by African Union troops.

But they still control vast swathes of rural territory, from which they launch guerilla raids or suicide bombings against government and security targets, including in the capital.

https://horseedmedia.net/2019/04/11/us-resumes-drone-strikes-in-somalia-after-brief-pause/

Explosion kills two in Somalia’s capital

April 5, 2019 - By: Horseed Team

At least two people were killed and more than seven injured, late Thursday, when a car bomb exploded near the gate of the national police academy in Somalia’s capital, said officials.

The blast occurred near General Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu, police officer Mohamed Bulle told reporters in the Somali capital.

“A car bomb blast targeted a security checkpoint near General Kahiye Police Academy. We can confirm that two civilians, including a woman, were killed and seven others were wounded,” Bulle said. 

The wounded were rushed to hospitals for treatment, he added.

The academy is a highly protected compound located in Mogadishu’s Hamar-Jajab neighborhood.

The Al-Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack comes hours after the Somali government announced long-awaited military operations against al-Shabaab in the Lower Shabelle region about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of the capital.

https://horseedmedia.net/2019/04/05/explosion-kills-two-in-somalias-capital/

More than 137,000 people forced to flee their homes this year in Somalia

Shabelle.net, April 12, 2019 289

More than 137,000 people in Somalia have been forced to flee their homes during the first quarter of 2019, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has said.

The organization says the displacement of families is rising in the Horn of Africa nation with conflict and drought being the main causes. Based on UNHCR data, NRC says the situation for vulnerable people in Somalia is getting worse every month. Rise in displacement due to conflict, drought

Citing figures from the UN Refugee Agency, NRC says more than 137,000 people in Somalia have fled their homes since the beginning of 2019 and the number of people displaced has increased month by month. In March alone, 51,000 people are known to have become displaced with the total number of people internally displaced in the country reaching more than 2.6 million.

“We are seeing a tragic trend this year, with more and more people displaced by drought and conflict in Somalia. Seeking aid to survive, families flee to urban areas, erecting makeshift shelters wherever they can. This leaves them vulnerable to evictions, adding to their already desperate situation,” Kennedy Mabonga, Regional Programme Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, said in a statement.

Aside from conflict and drought, Mabonga also cites a rise in forced evictions as a contributor to increased displacement and US airstrikes were also mentioned.

“Conflict, drought and evictions are a triple threat to Somali families. We’re alarmed that the number of Somalis forced to flee is rising month after month. Conflict and airstrikes has forced thousands to flee in fear. Drought has hurt farmers and pastoralists, causing migration to cities. Meanwhile, forced evictions in urban areas are rising,” he said.

https://www.radioshabelle.com/more-than-137000-people-forced-to-flee-their-homes-this-year-in-somalia/

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