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MOGADISHU (Sunatimes)- At least five Somali civilians were injured In Somali capital after African Union troops fired shots at civilians who congregated for helping a man who got injured in a car accident, at Mogadishu’s busiest KM4 junction on Tuesday, witnesses said.

The AU peacekeeping forces in Mogadishu known as AMISOM have earlier been accused of violating human rights by shelling civilian populated areas instead of fighting the rebels who rarely break few controlled areas’ blocks.

Some Somali officials see Uganda’s peacekeeping mission as business related reason, not peacekeeping as the troops sit few blocks since they came to Mogadishu on early 2007.

“ The Ugandan troops fired at us when tried to pick a wounded man for help” Mohamed Nur, eyewitness told Sunatimes.

“ Most of the wounded people have been shot at the legs” he added.

Four people were killed in a similar incident involving AU troops on 23 November 2010 in Mogadishu.

Somali government has angrily replied to the peacekeepers’ action.

“We have zero tolerance towards hurting our innocent Somali people, we are here to protect them” Abdihakim H. Mohamud Fiqi, The Minister of Defense said.

“Deputy Force Commander, General Cyprien, told to the Minister that they are investigating this incident thoroughly, in liaison with the TFG Police, in order to identify exactly what happened. The Commander apologized on behalf of AMISOM to those who were hurt” he added.

Uganda has previously demanded 8,000 peacekeepers for pacifying Mogadishu but when the demanded number was completed they again demanded another four thousand, a move seen my many as profiting for money by Uganda which is pushing a growing economy in east Africa without doing the supposed goals of pacifying and defeating insurgents.

Somalia has been without government since 1991 after dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted from power by armed warlords who turned the horn of Africa nation into decades of endless war.

SUNATIMES.COM

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