MOGADISHU — At least seven civilians were killed and five others wounded in an overnight operation carried out by Somalia’s elite Danab special forces in the Lower Jubba region, residents and local sources said Friday.
The incident occurred in Kaam-Jaroon, a rural area on the outskirts of Kismaayo, the administrative capital of Jubbaland, triggering outrage among local communities who accused security forces of targeting civilians during the raid.
According to residents, heavily armed troops conducted the operation late Thursday night with support from international partners, including the United States, which has long provided training and operational assistance to the Somali Danab commandos in counterterrorism operations against the militant group Al-Shabaab.
Witnesses said the raid resulted in the deaths of seven civilians, including members of the same extended family. Five other people were reportedly injured, while several residents — among them elderly people, women and children — were allegedly detained and taken away during the operation.
“The whole area woke up in fear and confusion after gunfire erupted during the night,” one local elder told reporters by phone from the area. “Families are mourning loved ones, and many people still do not know where some of those taken away have been brought.”
Residents said most of the victims were pastoralists and civilians who had been sleeping in their homes at the time of the operation.
The incident has sparked anger among members of the Gaaljecel community, who accused authorities of failing to protect civilians and demanded an independent investigation into the killings.
The civilians affected by the raid are represented in Somalia’s federal parliament by MP, an elected lawmaker from Jubbaland state. However, no public statement or official reaction had been issued by the legislator as of Friday evening, despite growing calls from residents for accountability and humanitarian assistance.
Community elders and civil society figures criticized what they described as the silence of political leaders in the face of civilian suffering, saying the absence of condemnation or emergency support had deepened frustration among affected families.
Local leaders called on the Federal Government of Somalia and the Jubbaland administration to launch an impartial inquiry into the incident, establish the exact circumstances surrounding the operation, and hold accountable anyone responsible for abuses against civilians.
The Somali government and Danab command had not immediately commented on the allegations.
The latest incident underscores ongoing concerns over civilian casualties linked to military operations in southern Somalia, where government forces and allied units continue campaigns against Al-Shabaab insurgents in remote rural areas.
