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somalia:United Nations End indiscriminate shelling in Mogadishu
Mareeg.com-The United Nations forces in Mogadishu are indiscriminately shelling civilian populated areas and markets. The indiscriminate bombardment of civilians has caused hundreds of deaths and injuries over the last few months. Thousands of civilians have fled the shelling and sought shelter areas outside the city. Refugees from shelling are experiencing immense suffering due to lack of water, food and sanitary environment. UNISOM forces have adopted scorched earth strategy to deal with insurgents that are nimble and have no specific location for targeting. The UN indiscriminate bombings and shelling are very ineffective against fast moving insurgents but have a devastating effect in maiming and destroying innocent civilians caught in the path. In the last three months alone the United Nations forces in Mogadishu have killed more than 160 civilians and have injured more than 400. On December 20, 2009 UN indiscriminate shelling killed 14 civilians and 33 wounded in Bakara Market and Elasha Biyaha districts. October 28, 2009. UN shelling killed 4 civilians and 11 were wounded in Wardhiigley district. On October 26, 2009 UN shelling killed 5 civilians and wounded 20 in Yaaqshiid district. On October 22, 2009 UN shelling killed 17 civilians and 60 wounded in Holwadag and Hodan districts. 29 September, 2009 UN shells landed busy Bakara market killing 12 people and wounding 30 people. These numbers are conservative numbers but the real toll is higher as many of victims die on the spot and are not carried to the hospital to be officially reported. The insurgents want the United Nations to carry out indiscriminate shelling against the civilian population in order to galvanize population against the United Nations and their forces stationed in Mogadishu. It seems their strategy is winning as the United Nations forces in Mogadishu also known UNISOM indiscriminately bombard population centers causing hundreds of deaths and injuries. The hospitals and health care in Mogadishu are already taxed by suicide attack which killed many of the doctors working the different hospitals and cannot cope with hundreds more injured civilians every week. We the independent media are urgently requesting the United Nations forces to stop the indiscriminate bombardment of population centers. The United Nations forces are capable of pacifying the city of Mogadishu but they have adopted to stay at their bases and launch missiles indiscriminately at slightest provocation by insurgents. These methods are not impacting the insurgents and it is not succeeding against the insurgents, they are causing only civilian deaths and injuring hundreds more every day. It is about time the United Nations forces in Mogadishu respect the rules of engagement and stop shelling population centers. The commanders of United Nations Forces in Mogadishu should be told by their superiors in New York Headquarters to immediately end opening barrages of inaccurate long-range artilleries against densely populated areas and markets. Millions of Somali citizen’s lives are at stake not to mention the credibility of the United Nations as a peacekeeping force.
Ali Osman ccusmaan@gmail.com
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