Dozens of Civilians Killed in U.S.-trained Special Forces Raid in Somalia 

MOGADISHU, Somalia — More than 30 civilians were killed, and dozens were injured Tuesday night in a Somali special forces operation near the town of Afgooye, residents said, in an attack that also destroyed homes and displaced hundreds.

According to the villagers, the deadly raid in Jambaluul, about 40 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, was carried out by the Somali army's Danab commandos trained by the U.S. Africa Command [AFRICOM]. The families were asleep at the time of the attack. There was no fighting in the area before the assault.

The Somali government said the operation targeted Al-Shabaab militants, calling it a “special operation,” though residents denied any militants were present during the Danab attack that claimed the lives of innocent civilians, according to the locals. 

The doctors at the main hospital in Afgoye town reported receiving more than 100 wounded civilians, some of whom were transferred to Mogadishu. Residents have raised concerns about civilian safety and the overall security situation.

The assault highlights the ongoing challenges in Somalia, where counterterrorism operations by government forces and their allied U.S. forces often put civilians at risk, complicating efforts to stabilize the Horn of Africa country.

GAROWE ONLINE