MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – The death toll from what families claim to be a Turkish drone strike in Baqdaad village, Lower Shabelle, Somalia, has now climbed to over 30, with more than 17 others sustaining injuries, including women and children.
The injured have been transported to Mogadishu, where they spoke to the media on Wednesday, highlighting the dire conditions at Madina hospital, where children as young as 4 and 5 are being treated.
The drone strike on March 18 occurred following a fierce gunbattle between Al-Shabaab militants and Somali forces, commonly referred to as Gorgor, who have received training from Turkey.
According to eyewitness accounts, the strike initially targeted a mosque before hitting nearby houses and farmland where civilians sought refuge.
Mohamed Mohamud, an elder from Baqdaad village, described the incident as a “massacre and direct attack on civilians,” demanding justice and accountability from the Somali government.
Amina, who is caring for her two injured young daughters, echoed the call for an investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be held to account.
The victims were residents of the agricultural village, caught in the crossfire of the conflict.
While the Somali Ministry of Information initially stated that the airstrike targeted Al-Shabaab and claimed the lives of 30 terrorists, there was no mention of the civilian casualties acknowledged at the hospital.
Subsequent inquiries to the ministries of information and defense regarding the civilian deaths were met with silence.
Attempts to seek clarification from the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu regarding the civilian casualties went unanswered.
Turkish drones have been actively engaged in airstrikes in Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle regions as part of the Somali government’s campaign against Al-Shabaab, backing the Gorgor unit, a commando force trained and supported by Turkey.