Somali herders hit by air attacks

[N.O.R.F]

Somali herders hit by air attacks

 

Following US air strikes in southern Somalia targeting suspected al-Qaeda leaders, several herding areas have been hit by bombs.

An elder in Banka-Jiira, a grazing area about 40km east of Doble town, who wished to remain anonymous citing security reasons, gave an account of the raids and their aftermath to the BBC's Somali Service.

 

 

There have been air strikes carried out by American planes in these areas since Sunday.

 

Here in the Banka-Jiira area, which is the largest grazing area in the Juba Valley region, we have been hard hit.

 

There have been several air strikes over nearby Booji grazing area too.

 

The most unfortunate incident was an attack on a big wedding ceremony

 

We have information that the American planes are being directed from the ground by soldiers who are moving among the herders at night.

 

We do not have the figures of the dead animals as a result of the air strikes but they are very many livestock that have been killed by the bombs.

 

And on Tuesday morning, a man who has lost a limb was brought in for treatment at Banka-Jiira's health centre.

 

A driver in his car has also been blown up in the attack.

 

When the Islamist militia fled Doble about a week ago they passed through this area.

 

Ethiopian and government forces who were pursuing them forced about 10 young men from here to show them the escape route the Islamist fighters took.

 

They forcefully took away the young men and out of the 10 who went with the soldiers, only one has managed to return following the heaving fighting.

 

Up to now we have no idea where the rest of these young people are.

 

bbc.co.uk

[Fabregas]

I heard the fbi got the most wanted camel in somalia which had been evading them for years.

[-Nomadique-]

Rumour has it that this camel is building up his herd somewhere in Pakistan.

 

 

 

Be afraid.....Very afraid!

[Caano Geel]

Nomadic_Princess

looooooooll aahhhhh heheheheheheh looooooll ..

[-Nomadique-]

Somalia air raids hit nomads, 70 dead - Oxfam

 

NAIROBI, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Air attacks against fugitive Islamists in south Somalia in recent days have mistakenly targeted nomadic herdsmen gathering round fires, killing 70, British-based aid agency Oxfam said on Friday.

 

"Under international law, there is a duty to distinguish between military and civilian targets," Oxfam added, citing its local partner organisations in Somalia for the information.

 

Washington sent a warplane into Somalia on Monday to try and take out what U.S. officials say are top al Qaeda suspects hiding with the Islamists.

 

Ethiopia, which helped the interim government of Somalia oust rival Islamists from Mogadishu over the New Year, has also been carrying out air raids against the retreating fighters.

 

While some Somali sources have reported scores of deaths, there has been no independent confirmation on the ground.

 

"Oxfam is receiving reports from its partner organisations in Somalia that nomadic herdsmen have been mistakenly targeted in recent bombing raids," Oxfam said in a statement released in Nairobi.

 

"According to the reports from local organisations in Afmadow district, bombs have hit vital water sources as well as large groups of nomads and their animals who had gathered round large fires at night to ward off mosquitoes.

 

"Further reports have also confirmed that bombings have claimed the lives of 70 people in the district."

 

Since the open warfare started in late December, some 70,000 Somalis have fled their homes, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation, Oxfam said

[Qandalawi]

Inaa lilaahi Allahu Yaa arxam, Is this time for mourning or satire, wonders me...

[-Nomadique-]

^ Sometimes the sheer injustice of it all can leave you numb I don't know how to react anymore.

 

May Allah forgive them of their sins and make it easy on their families.