Somalia’s military opened a preliminary investigation on Tuesday after a video circulated online appeared to show members of the Somali National Army (SNA) abusing a man in custody during an operation against Al-Shabaab, the SNAF Command said in a statement, adding that the footage contravenes its Code of Conduct and the laws of armed conflict.
The probe lands at a sensitive moment for Somalia’s armed forces, which are locked in an intensifying offensive against Al-Shabaab across multiple regions. Any confirmed breach of prisoner-of-war protections could complicate ties with international partners who fund and train SNAF units, and would test the military’s willingness to discipline its own ranks publicly.
The footage, widely shared on social media, shows uniformed men believed to be Somali soldiers surrounding a young man who appears to be in custody. The men are seen placing a plastic bag over the prisoner’s head, apparently suffocating him, triggering widespread condemnation online.
The SNAF Command said the investigation would determine the circumstances of the incident and identify those responsible.
“The SNAF Command strongly warns all personnel against engaging in such conduct,” the military said in its statement.
The statement did not name any soldiers shown in the video, nor did it disclose where or when the incident occurred. It also did not clarify the identity or current condition of the man seen being held.
Officials said personnel found to have violated prisoner-of-war protections or broader human rights standards would face both legal and military disciplinary action.
“Firm legal and military disciplinary action will be taken against anyone found to have violated the laws of armed conflict, the rights of prisoners of war or human rights,” the statement said.
Rights monitors and international law experts have indirectly noted that mistreatment of detainees during counter-insurgency operations can undermine both battlefield legitimacy and cooperation with foreign backers, according to [source/report, if available].
The SNAF has not said whether any soldiers have been arrested or suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
The case comes as Somali government troops and allied fighters continue offensives against Al-Shabaab in multiple regions, part of a broader campaign to reclaim territory from the militant group.
