LONDON (Halbeeg News)-Amnesty International has said US airstrikes in Somalia has killed innocent civilians in the country in past years.
In a new report released on Tuesday, the London based human rights organisation has put the death toll to more than ten.
The rights group said it assessed five airstrikes that killed 14 civilians and wounded eight other people in Somalia.
“In the incidents presented in this report, civilians were killed and injured in attacks that may have violated international humanitarian law and could, in some cases, constitute war crimes,” the report said.
US defense department via its African command has downplayed the amnesty report saying there are no civilian casualties.
“Our assessments found that no AFRICOM airstrike resulted in any civilian casualty or injury,” the command said in a statement.
However, the Defense Department officials acknowledged that it was difficult to verify civilian casualties because most American airstrikes and raids take place in areas that are controlled by al-Shaabab.
US military carries out joint operations and regular air strikes against the armed group al-Shabaab targets in southern Somalia.
A drone strike has killed al-Shabaab leader, Ahmed Godane on September 2014.
There is a significant number of US troops presence inside Somalia that help train Somali forces to combat the al-Qaida linked group.
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