AU troops mistakenly kill 4 civilians in S. Somalia

African Union peacekeeping troops on Saturday mistakenly killed four civilians during a security operation against militant group Al-Shabaab in Bula Marer, Lower Shabelle Region of southern Somalia.

In a statement issued in Mogadishu on Sunday, AMISOM regretted the incident which took place during an operation to neutralize suspected Al-Shabaab insurgents in the area.

The statement said AMISOM forces had set up a roadblock during the operation to flush out the militants when a speeding vehicle approached the roadblock and failed to adhere to repeated warnings to stop.

"Assuming the car to be a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), the troops opened fire resulting in the death of four occupants of the vehicle," the statement said.

"AMISOM profoundly regrets the loss of civilian lives that occurred during the operation and presents its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families," it said.

The Pan African body said its personnel are bound by the International Humanitarian Law as well as by the African Union Peace Support Operations Code of Conduct which obligates the troops to exercise maximum restraint, strictly respect human rights and avoid civilian casualties even in situations of imminent attack.

AMISOM pledged to offer clarification on the details, the exact circumstances in which the incident occurred and propose the action to be taken.

The militants have recently increased their attacks against AU and Somali forces in the Lower Shabelle region, which has seen a surge of attacks that resulted in the loss of several strategic towns although the militants mainly held those towns briefly.

The AMISOM and Somali forces have also increased airstrikes in southern Somalia in the recent past, resulting in the killing of several militants in March. Endit