Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Violence in Somalia continues to be a great concern for the international community.  Extreme violence, attacks and threats against the media, and lack of humanitarian aid plague this war torn country where more than 700,000 civilians have been forced to leave their homes.

Civilians face severe human rights violations by all parties to the conflict including the right to life, disappearance, torture, recruitment of child soldiers, and sexual and gender-based violence.

On Friday, four Somali soldiers were killed and several more wounded when an army truck was ambushed in the capital, where the government is currently battling a deadly insurgency.   This attack follows an earlier ambush on a government base.

The military has ordered thousands of civilians in the Somali capital to vacate their homes in order to search for arms and insurgents.  Most forced to leave their homes have either left Mogadishu or sought refuge with family and friends in other parts of the city.

Journalists and human rights activists are also a target of increasing fear and intimidation.  Since January, seven journalists have been killed and dozens more threatened into silence for their work.   Many have been forced to leave the country.

The violence in Somalia is not confined to their borders, as extremist groups have begun attacks in neighboring countries as well.  On Friday, the United States issued a warning to American tourists in Kenya that Somali-based extremists may try to kip American citizens from the beach resorts.  Kenya shares a 400-mile border with Somalia, which is currently closed.   Kenyan security forces have guarded the border since a radical group controlling much of southern Somalia was ousted last December by Ethiopian troops supporting the weak UN-backed government.

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica.com – UN Expert Voices Deep Concern At Extreme Violence – 28 September 2007

International Herald Tribune – Troops forcing residents from homes in Somali capital, rights group says – 29 September 2007

AFP – Four civilians killed in fresh Somalia violence – 29 September 2007

Associated Press – Somalis May Kidnap Americans From Kenya – 28 September 2007

AFP – Four Somali soldiers killed in Mogadishu attack – 28 September 2007