AMISOM rejects to pay compensation for civilians it killed in Somalia

According to a leaked document exclusively obtained by KON, the command of the AMISOM has been dragging its feet all the way in releasing the blood money it pledged to give to the families of the victims.

News Keydmedia Online
10 April 2021

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The UN-mandated African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] has refused to pay compensation for the deaths of six innocent civilians killed by its military actions in Somalia.

According to a leaked document exclusively obtained by KON, the command of the AMISOM has been dragging its feet all the way in releasing the blood money it pledged to give to the families of the victims.

In the second complaint letter dated March 21 of this year, the ministry of women and human rights development called on the AU mission to compensate the victims of the incident in Lower Shabelle.

The victims who were identified as Sardhash Abdullahi Mohamed, Majarudin Ahmed Mohamed, Abdullahi Hassan Mohamed, Sheikh Mukhtar Abdi Ali, Ruqiya Ali Mursal, and Dahira Aden Roobel died after their car ran over by AMISOM armored vehicle in the Xero Labaad area on 17th December 2016.

AMISOM, per the ministry, has pledged to compensate for the deaths within six weeks but the AU mission has never been fulfilled its pledges, prompting a complaint memo to be dispatched to UNSOM’s officer for human rights and AU envoy Francisco Madeira.

On March 31, Somali south-central [SSC] law firm has written to Madeira who is also serving as the head of AMISOM, informing him of each victim’s share of the expected compensation totaling $493,000.

However, in the case, which has been going on for five years, no compensation has been paid so far to the families despite every effort they made to get justice for the loved ones killed by the AU troops.

Amnesty International said civilian casualties continue to mount from the foreign forces’ war in Somalia, with no justice or reparation for the victims of possible violations of international humanitarian law.

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