December 18th 2023.
Two dozen human rights organizations urged the Pentagon to take action on Monday. They called on Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III to provide amends to a Somali family affected by a 2018 U.S. drone strike. The strike had killed a woman and her 4-year-old daughter.
The fourteen Somali groups and ten international organizations for the protection of civilians argued that the family deserves an explanation, an apology, and compensation. The open letter mentioned that the survivors and victims of the drone strike had yet to receive any acknowledgement from the U.S government despite their persistent attempts.
On April 1, 2018, at least three civilians, including 22-year-old Luul Dahir Mohamed and her 4-year-old daughter Mariam Shilow Muse, lost their lives in the attack. Even though a U.S. military investigation acknowledged the deaths of a woman and child, they concluded their identities might never be known.
The Intercept undertook the responsibility of speaking to the family members of the victims. Abdi Dahir Mohammed, one of Luul’s brothers, said, “They know innocent people were killed, but they’ve never told us a reason or apologized. No one has been held accountable.”
The Pentagon’s inquiry found that the Americans who conducted the strike were confused and inexperienced. They had argued about basic details such as the number of passengers in the targeted vehicle. Despite this, the investigation concluded that standard operating procedures and the rules of engagement were followed, resulting in no accountability.
The letter addressed to the Defense Secretary urges him to take immediate steps to address the requests of the families of the victims. Abubakar Dahir Mohamed, the 38-year-old brother of Luul, had tried to contact U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) for years. Abubakar wrote an op-ed for The Continent, saying, “I now know that the U.S. military has admitted not only to killing Luul and Mariam, but doing so even after they survived the first strike. It killed them as Luul fled the car.”
In spite of Congress appropriating millions of dollars annually for the Defense Department to compensate families of civilians killed or injured in U.S. attacks, the Pentagon rarely makes compensation payments. The advocates’ letter calls on the Department of Defense to make long-overdue amends in consultation with the family and their representatives.
When asked if Luul’s family deserves compensation and an apology, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and AFRICOM failed to answer. This stands in stark contrast with the administration’s stated priorities of mitigating, responding to, and learning from civilian harm. The human rights advocates demand that the U.S. government should come forward with an explanation, an apology and compensation.
Two dozen human rights organizations have called on the Pentagon to make amends to a Somali family after an investigation by The Intercept revealed a 2018 U.S. drone strike killed a woman and her four-year-old daughter. The fourteen Somali and ten international groups devoted to the protection of civilians urged Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III to take immediate action.
The family of the victims, Luul Dahir Mohamed and her daughter Mariam Shilow Muse, are requesting an explanation, an apology, and compensation for their loss. An open letter, shared with The Intercept, states that despite multiple attempts by the families to reach authorities, they have yet to receive answers, acknowledgement, or amends.
The April 1, 2018 attack in Somalia killed at least three, and possibly five, civilians. A U.S. military investigation acknowledged the deaths of a woman and child but concluded their identities might never be known. It was only after a journalist travelled to Somalia and spoke with seven of their relatives that they were able to confirm the identities of the victims.
Abdi Dahir Mohammed, one of Luul’s brothers, spoke of the family’s hurt and humiliation. He said that despite the U.S. government’s knowledge of the civilian deaths, no one had been held accountable and they had yet to receive an apology.
The Pentagon’s inquiry found that the Americans who conducted the strike were confused and inexperienced. The U.S. task force members mistook a woman and child for an adult male and killed Luul and Mariam in a follow-up strike as they ran from the truck. Despite this, the investigation concluded that standard operating procedures and the rules of engagement were followed and no one was held accountable.
The human rights advocates’ letter urges Austin to take immediate steps to address the requests of the families who were killed or injured by U.S. airstrikes in Somalia. It also mentions the five-year-long attempts by another of Luul’s brothers, Abubakar Dahir Mohamed, to contact U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM. Despite his efforts, he has not received any acknowledgement or apology from the U.S. government.
Congress appropriates millions of dollars annually for the Defense Department to compensate families of civilians killed or injured in U.S. attacks. However, the Pentagon has rarely made compensation payments in cases as clear cut as this one. The human rights advocates’ letter insists the Department of Defense urgently makes amends to the family in consultation with Abubakar, including condolence payments and an explanation for why their demands appear to have been ignored until now.
When asked if the family deserves compensation and if an apology and amends would be offered, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and AFRICOM both failed to answer The Intercept’s questions. It is clear that the U.S. government must take steps to address the requests of the families and make amends for their loss.
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