10 men and boys, all civilians have been killed in a joint U.S.-Somali raid in Bariire, announced by Somali government officials on Thursday.
Officials have held public funeral for those killed and have confirmed that their surviving families will receive blood money or compensation.
Reuters quoted a lawmaker Mohamed Ahmed Abtidon to have said that “The 10 people were civilians. They were killed accidentally.”
Victims of the raid were killed on Friday according to officials.
“The government and relatives will discuss about compensation. We send condolence to the families,” Ahmed Abtidon said.
Clan elder Ibrahim Hassan Ali said that they had reached an agreement with the government late on Wednesday.
He is quoted by reuters as saying that “We met the government last night and agreed on three points: a national burial where the government officials will attend and admit the killings, compensation, and that the government will solve the clan conflict in the lower Shabelle region so that such incidents do not take place again.”
The raid took place in an area witnessing clan conflicts over fertile farmland. Somali forces and African Union peacekeepers had fought to take Bariire village back from Islamist insurgents earlier this month.
Somalia has witnessed several terrorist attacks undertaken by the militant group Al-shabab.
The Somali government continues to receive support from external countries to fight the insurgency.
Source: Africafeeds.com
