A family of five children, including a breastfeeding baby, dies in a mortar strike
In the early hours of the morning, a resident of Balow village in Barire district, Lower Shabelle, prayed for safety. Hamud Qadi Mohamed, the elder of the family, had gone to his farm, unaware of the looming tragedy. At around ten o’clock, mortars hit their house, killing three children instantly and severely injuring others. The family was devastated as they gathered for breakfast when the deadly strike occurred. Hamud’s granddaughter, who was serving the meal, was among the casualties.
Hamud recounted the horror to the BBC, saying, “When she put the breakfast on the table in front of me, the mortar fell. Three children died there, and they are still in pieces. The girl who brought me the food died, and I was injured.” Five members of the family perished, and five others, including the mother of the four deceased children, sustained serious injuries. They are currently receiving treatment in a Mogadishu hospital.
Among the deceased was a one-year-old baby who was breastfeeding at the time of the attack. Hamud, who suffered injuries himself, described the dire condition of the surviving family members, stating, “I am the best among the wounded. The others are in a very bad condition and are kept in the ICU.”
Barwako Hamoud Qadi, the mother of the family, sustained severe head injuries and is pregnant. Another family member, Seynab Hamud Qadi, had both legs amputated. Doctors are working tirelessly to save their lives.
The family believes the incident resulted from ongoing conflict between government forces and the Al-Shabaab militant group in Barire District. This tragic event highlights the collateral damage inflicted on civilians during such conflicts. Another family in the area, belonging to Ibrahim Sidow Mustaf, also suffered devastating losses, with four children killed and several family members injured.
Ibrahim shared his harrowing experience, saying, “I was in the fields, and when I came home, I saw the dead bodies of my four children in the courtyard of the house. The remaining one was injured, and my wife was also seriously injured. I was really scared, but I tried to take the wounded to Mogadishu. I didn’t even bury the dead. I told the neighbors and the people who were there.”
The origin of the mortars remains unconfirmed, and the exact details of who launched them are still unknown. Barire, a historical district, frequently witnesses clashes between government forces and Al-Shabaab. The latest battle saw Al-Shabaab fighters attacking a military base recently handed over by Somali government forces to ATMIS peacekeeping forces, particularly Ugandan troops. This incident marks one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in recent times, leaving the local community in shock and mourning.
