In a tragic incident that has rocked the community of Buulo Mareer in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, at least two civilians were killed by African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops, according to local officials.
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in the region.
Maadey Jeilani Ali, the deputy chairman for social affairs of the Kuntuwaarey district, provided a detailed account of the latest incident.
“ATMIS forces, specifically Ugandan troops, entered a farm in Buulo Mareer, encountered three individuals, and killed two of them. The third individual escaped despite being injured.”
Jeilani Ali further described the gruesome nature of the killings, stating, “After shooting the two individuals, the ATMIS troops slaughtered them. They were on patrol and became suspicious of these men, shot them, and then slaughtered them.”
This latest tragedy follows a similar incident two months ago, where Jeilani Ali revealed that “they similarly killed a farmer returning from his fields.”
The killings have sent shockwaves through the community of Buulo Mareer, which has repeatedly experienced such incidents involving ATMIS forces.
The local authorities are expected to increase security along major thoroughfares and near government and security buildings in response to the growing unrest.
However, the community’s outrage extends beyond the immediate incident, with residents calling on the Federal Government of Somalia and the South West State government to hold ATMIS accountable for their operations in the area.
Residents have accused the ATMIS troops of repeatedly and deliberately killing civilian farmers, a claim that further erodes the already fragile trust between the local population and the peacekeeping mission.
The tragic killings and the community’s demands for justice and accountability highlight the ongoing challenges faced by the Somali government and the international community in maintaining security and protecting the rights of civilians in the country’s volatile regions.
