SOMALIA: Toll of civilian casualties by Puntland’s Galkaio offensive

Hotel Kaah- The hotel's components were entirely looted as its building damaged

GALKAIO (RBC) Even one week after Puntland’s military offensive against north of Galkaio residents [mainly Garsor village] the toll of civilian casualties have rose up.
The heavy unprecedented military attack against Garsor residents which started on Thursday September 1st engulfed at least 68 people while 153 others were wounded, health officials and local elders confirmed.
Civilian casualties
Health officials and local elders told RBC Radio that at least 68 people were killed and 153 were wounded in Puntland’s military attack against Galkaio’s north residents. Women, children and men are among the casualties.
With due to lack of proper health service and functioning hospitals in Galkaio, most of the wounded people were revered to different places including Mogadishu (24 injured were hospitalized in former Martini hospital).   Also 54 injured people were taken to Galdogob hospital and 21 others were flown to Nairobi for treatment.
Last week, MSF Holland- the only international agency that used to sponsor the hospital of Galkaio’s southern part announced to suspend it’s mission in the hospital following security alert which was sent to the agency by local militia.  After MSF Holland’s announcement most of the patients in the hospital were taken back to their homes without specialized health service and also that caused number of serious wounded people to search for other hospitals.
Displacement caused by the attack
It is still early time to have fully arranged report about the exact number of the displacement emerged from Puntland’s attack against Garsor village, but locals estimate that at least 500 to 600 families escaped from their homes during the two days war by the Puntland forces.  The displacement came the second day (Friday September 2nd) after Puntland government sent reinforcement forces to Garsor village.
Following heavy weapons used by the Puntland forces, the influxes displacement people reached Mogadishu, Galdogob and Ethiopia’s run region of Kilin 5.
Commercial buildings and houses destroyed
Besides the civilian casualties caused by president Farole’s forces, there were also number of commercial buildings and houses destroyed during the war and also business places looted by the forces.
1- Al-Hayat hospital- The largest privately owned hospital in the north of Galkaio was looted by the forces. The hospital building was also destroyed by mortar missiles used by Farole forces.
2- Hotel Kaah- The hotel’s components were entirely looted as its buildind damaged.
3- City Center hotel was also looted and destroyed.
4- An estimation of 40 homes were damaged by heavy weapons used by Farole forces.
Businessmen and teenagers detained
Before the beginning of the attack and after, Puntland security were recurringly detaining teenagers and business people from southern regions of the country (especially Bay and Bakol regions) and the famous people from Lelkase- Darod sub clan in Garsor village.    The arrest was and still a pretext of Farole’s failed administration towards so-called Al-Shabab members in Puntland.
The following are among detained people;
1- Gurei Mahamud Musse (Business man at Galkaio foreign money exchange market)
2- Abdiweli Mahamud Abbas (Business man)
3- Abdinasir Ilkadhagah (Business man)
Forces used for the attack
Credible sources revealed that Puntland president Abdirahman Farole ordered to send 1,000 soldiers from Garowe town to reinforce the attackers during the second day of the fighting.   This came after the local residents resisted back to Puntland’s illegal offensive.
It is also worthy to mention that Puntland forces used modern and heavy weapons including artillery and mortar missile during their dirty attack against civilian populated of Garsor village of Galkaio.
Some of the missile used by Puntland forces
- B10, Jeep 75.
- Mortar missiles.
- Artillery DHK, ZU 23.
- Heavy propelled grenades of RPG7 & RPG2.
Conclusion;
Besides the human casualties emerged from president Farole unmentioned attack towards civilian populated village of Garsor of North Galkaio, there are also moral influences rendered from the attack while number of shocked people remain uncured.
RBC Radio