US admitted killing civilians in Somalia

Two civilians were killed and three injured in an American air strike in Somalia early last year, Washington said in a rare recognition of civilian casualties as a result of military operations by the US African Command (AFRICOM) in the Horn of Africa.

 Deaths were mentioned on Monday in AFRICOM's debut quarterly assessment report on civilian casualties resulting from its operations in Somalia, Libya, and other African countries.

 “Unfortunately, as a result of an airstrike in February 2019, two civilians were killed and three were injured.  We deeply regret that this happened, ”said US Army General Steven Townsend in his report.

 An air strike was launched in the Kunyo-Barrow area in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia, and the report states that the alleged target - two members of the Al-Shabab  group - were killed.

 This is the second known incident in which AFRICOM acknowledged the killing of civilians in Somalia.  Recall that human rights activists have long accused the military of hiding their operations in secret.

 The first was an air strike in April 2018 in El Buur, in the Galgaduud area in central Somalia, during which two civilians were killed.

 For many years, the United States launched air strikes on Somalia to defeat Al-Shabab, which seeks to overthrow the pro-western central government of Somalia.

 Amnesty International said AFRICOM’s efforts to publish quarterly civilian casualty assessment reports are a welcome step towards transparency.

 Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, Safe Magango, added that the United States should "ensure accountability and compensation for victims and their families."