Members of the two-House Parliament of Federal Somalia accused members of the Kenya Defense Force (KDF) of the gang rape of 4 women and a young girl in one of their posts at Beled Xaawo on the border between Kenya and Somalia.
The MPs, two senators in the Upper House and six from the Lower House, representing Gedo region, where the alleged rape took place, accused the KDF soldiers of gross violations of human and civil rights the latest of which was the rape of women, one of them a minor.
“The continuous violation of civil rights and heinous crimes the KDF is habitually committing against the people of Gedo, the last of which is the gang rape of five girls on July 24, are unacceptable,” they said in a press statement they released.
The MPs call the KDF to confine itself to its patrolling duties and on combat against terrorists.
“We support the active combat against terrorists in the area in which the KDF play a leading role but, by the same token, we strongly condemn the extra-judicial killing, destruction of properties, the decimation of livestock and other violations the forces continue to perpetrate against civilians in the region,” they said.
The MPs vow to pursue the matter until the perpetrators are brought to justice.
The KDF had been accused of destroying properties including a tower and offices belonging to the Somalia Telecom company, Hormuud, injuring employees in the incident.
The press statement was signed by:
- Senator Mowlid Hussein Guhad
- Senator Abdulwahid Elmi Omar (Goonjeex)
- MP Abdi Shire Jama (Ciyaarjecel)
- MP Farah Abdi Hassan
- Abdiaziz Abdullahi Yussuf (Dhagaqool)
- MP Nadifo Farah Jama
- MP Mohamed Salat Nunow
- MP Daleys Hassan
