Somaliland military court sentences 17 civilians to death

A military court in Somalia's autonomous northern region of Somaliland has sentenced 17 civilians to death for attacking a military base, the BBC reports.

According to the report, 30 armed members of a clan attacked soldiers in a camp on Tuesday. Seven people, including three soldiers, were killed in the resulting firefight.


Following the attack, 28 people were arrested and held overnight. A military trial followed, in which three people were acquitted and the trial of three others was postponed.

Five minors were given life sentences, and the remaining 17 civilians were sentenced to death, after reportedly confessing to conducting the attacks.

According to the BBC, the attackers claimed the military had built on land that they had owned for generations. An attack on Somaliland's military carries a mandatory death penalty for adults, the BBC says.

Somaliland, a breakaway, semi-desert territory on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, has been spared by much of the violence plaguing Somalia, but the BBC says land disputes are common.

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Somaliland military court sentences 17 civilians to death

So, what is the point? Don't you think we have enough problems at home, "journalist"?

    Reply#1 - Thu May 17, 2012 10:45 PM EDT

    Subliminal if you do not like reading about the rest of the world then don't click on the World section of the site.

    • 3 votes
    #1.1 - Fri May 18, 2012 10:42 AM EDT

    Subliminal So, what is the point? Don't you think we have enough problems at home, "journalist"?

    So, what is the point? Don't you think we have enough comments on the world news, "comment poster"?

      #1.2 - Tue May 22, 2012 1:18 PM EDT
      Reply

      Wow! The incident happened on Tuesday and they've already been tried, convicted and sentenced. Talk about a speedy trial!

        Reply#2 - Fri May 18, 2012 3:05 AM EDT

        We have LOTS of somalis here,we'd be happy to give back-1000 for 1 !!!!

          Reply#3 - Sun May 20, 2012 12:56 PM EDT

          I don't believe the civilians admitted to the attack. We had a shooting in a Somali bar here in a Canadian city in the middle of the afternoon right in front of the bar stools; place was busy and NOT ONE person saw or heard anything. Later, the Somali community complained the police had not caught the killer so the police chief lambasted the community for protecting him.

            Reply#4 - Tue May 22, 2012 1:23 PM EDT
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