Amisom issues apologies for the killing of Somalia civilians in July

The African Union force in Somalia has apologised for the “tragic” killing of seven civilians at a wedding last month, an attack it previously denied, saying three soldiers had been charged.

Witnesses in Somalia’s southern port town of Merka told journalists that troops from the 22,000-strong AU force in Somalia, known as Amisom, opened fire when insurgents hurled a grenade at a passing convoy on July 21.

Hours after the killings, Amisom “categorically denounced the devious allegation”.

Human Rights Watch later said Ugandan troops with Amisom — which fights alongside Somali government forces against the Al-Qaeda affiliate, Al-Shabaab — killed six men in cold blood at a wedding after a bomb attack.

“At one house, where the Moalim Iidey family was celebrating a wedding, the soldiers separated the men from the women and shot the six adult men — four brothers, their father and an uncle,” the HRW report read.

“Four died immediately, one brother hid under a bed after being shot but later died, and the father died during the night after the soldiers refused to allow the family to take him to hospital.”

On Friday, AU envoy and Amisom head Maman Sidokou admitted that the killings of civilians had taken place.

“We have established that, on that occasion, seven civilians died following an incident involving our troops,” Sidokou said in a statement released in Kenya.

“I would like on behalf of the African Union, to offer my sincere apology for the deaths. We regret these deaths.”

Three Amisom soldiers “have been indicted and are awaiting to be arraigned for the crime,” he added.

“I have instituted a board of inquiry composed of military, civilian and police officers who are not from the contingent concerned in order to ensure impartiality.”

Deployed to Somalia in 2007, Amisom has helped push back Al-Shabaab militants across much of the country’s south, retaking towns and territory the group had held for years.

“Our soldiers are operating in a very complex environment,” Sidokou said.

“We will continue to appeal to our host communities to facilitate the work of our troops in the fight against Al-Shabaab.”

Anarchy descended on Somalia in 1991 after the overthrow of Mohammed Siad Barre, a despot who had taken power two decades earlier.

Power struggles among rebel groups that drove the dictator away led to the formation of many armed movements.