Civilian body count grows as US intensifies its war in Somalia | News | Africa | M&G

  • 📰 mailandguardian
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 80 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 35%
  • Publisher: 92%

South Africa Headlines News

South Africa Latest News,South Africa Headlines

The United States says it is not at war in Somalia. But a dramatic increase in air strikes — and the civilian body count — tells a very different story.

In June 2018, the United States department of defence confidently told the United States Congress that its military operations in Somalia — including air strikes — had resulted in zero civilian casualties in 2017.The report, released on Wednesday, describes a massive increase in the US military’s bombing campaign in Somalia since President Donald Trump became president, with more than 100 air strikes by both drones and manned aircraft since early 2017.

That claim seems all the more fanciful when you consider the USA has tripled its air strikes across the country since 2016, outstripping their strikes in Libya and Yemen combined.” These rules have become so loose that virtually all military-age men in al-Shabaab-controlled areas are now considered legitimate targets, said a retired general interviewed by Amnesty. Until his retirement in mid-2017, retired Brigadier General Donald Bolduc was a commander with the US military’s Africa Command .

For Somalia, another American intervention would have far more wide-reaching consequences. In 2006, the country was mostly under the control of the Islamic Courts Union, a conservative Islamist group that was far too Islamist for the administration of George W. Bush Jr., then in the early stages of what would become the global “war on terror”.

Nothing seems to have worked, however: although its fortunes have waxed and waned, al-Shabaab remains a potent force. As recently as three weeks ago, on March 1, al-Shabaab fighters seized several buildings in central Mogadishu. Security forces took a full day to clear the buildings, with 24 people — mostly civilians — dead by the time order had been restored.

That ‘specific design’ relies on air strikes, usually from unmanned aerial vehicles. Using drones allows the US to bomb Somalia at arm’s length, without ever having to admit that it is “at war” in the Horn of Africa.“We have been waiting for someone to come ask us about this,” said Liban, a resident of Darussalam village, which was bombed in November 2017.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

Somalians must go in numbers and seek refuge in USA because trump is destroying their country

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 2. in ZA

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Amnesty challenges US ‘shroud of secrecy’ surrounding civilian deaths in SomaliaThe civilian death toll uncovered in just a handful of strikes suggests a smokescreen for impunity, says an adviser.
Source: TheCitizen_News - 🏆 6. / 75 Read more »

US mosques increase security after New Zealand attack | IOL NewsMosques around the United States increased security measures for Friday prayers after a gunman shot dead 49 people and wounded more than 40.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

International Criminal Court investigators barred from entering US | IOL NewsThe US will revoke or deny visas to International Criminal Court personnel who try to investigate or prosecute alleged abuses committed by its forces.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Lots of 'misinformation' in US about 'complex land issue' in SA - US deputy secretary of stateUS deputy secretary of state John Sullivan met several individuals and groups, including representatives of AgriSA, Grain SA and the ANC, last week. PieterDuToit The U.S.A needs to kick South Africa out of Agoa & along with its western allies impose extremely harsh sanctions on the country the moment they start expropriating land unjustly. PieterDuToit I stopped reading when I saw Afriform went on Fox News and was interviewed by Tucker 'THE BIGOT' Carlson. US should bud out of SA affairs and look at themselves first. They should know very well about land expropriation after expropriation land from the Indeginous Indians PieterDuToit Who made them world police on democracy when they support oppressive Apartheid regimes like Israel, Saudi Arabia etc. When they have laws forbidding you too boycott and criticise another country. Oh please stay the Fk out of country's affairs
Source: News24 - 🏆 4. / 80 Read more »

'Put all your curses' on US, Rouhani urges Iranians | IOL NewsIran's president urged Iranians to put a curse on the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia, who he claims are responsible for the country's ailing economy. Blah blah blah Wtf. The 'Cleanest'or' purest' religion cursing others lol show the world your true colours yes rouhani
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

US Senate rebukes Trump over wall but he vows veto | IOL NewsThe U.S. Senate passed a proposal on Thursday to terminate President Donald Trump's declaration of an emergency at the southern border.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Trump: US will ground Boeing 737 Max 8 planes involved in fatal crashes | IOL NewsPresident Donald Trump on Wednesday grounded all Boeing 737 Max 8 planes.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Passengers restrain US woman after she tries to open plane exit | IOL NewsOfficials say fellow passengers restrained a woman after she allegedly tried to open an exit during a flight from Indianapolis to Detroit. Good idea.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Brutal attack on us was a message for other peacemakers, says Mohamed Dangor | IOL NewsSouth African veteran diplomat Mohamed Dangor has broken his silence from ICU about what forces were likely behind the brutal ...
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Iran's oil minister blames US for market tensions - SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader.Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Saturday frequent US comments about oil prices had created market tensions, the ministry's news website SHANA reported.
Source: SABC News Online - 🏆 32. / 51 Read more »