MORE ON MASSACRE AT ANIMAL MARKET

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOGADISHU 10663


E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PHUM PINS PREL SO
SUBJECT: MORE ON MASSACRE AT ANIMAL MARKET

REF: MOGADISHU 10603


1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.

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2. WE NOW HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE, IN PART BASED
ON EYE-WITNESS REPORTS, OF THE KILLINGS THAT TOOK
PLACE AT THE ANIMAL MARKET IN NORTHEAST MOGADISHU
ON DECEMBER 6 (REFTEL). A MAN WHO WAS SITTING AT A
COFFEE HOUSE NEAR THE MARKET DURING THE INCIDENT
SAYS THAT A TOYOTA PICK-UP TRUCK CARRYING FIVE UNIFORMED
MEN AND A BROWNING MACHINE-GUN PULLED UP TO THE MARKET AND
BEGAN FIRING AT THE CROWD, WHICH WAS GOING ABOUT ITS
NORMAL BUSINESS. SEVERAL MEN IN THE CROWD RAN TO THEIR
HOMES TO GET THEIR AK-47S, AND RETURNED FIRE. THE
UNIFORMED MEN FLED IN THEIR PICK-UP TRUCK.

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3. A BYSTANDER ON A MOTOR SCOOTER FOLLOWED THE
PICK-UP TRUCK UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED INTO THE
GARRISON OF THE 77TH MILITARY SECTOR. BACK AT THE
SCENE OF THE SHOOTING, POLICE ARRIVED AND ARRESTED
THE MEN WHO HAD FIRED ON THE SOLDIERS.

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4. AN FSN'S SISTER, WHO LIVES NEAR THE MARKET, SAYS
SHE COUNTED 12 DEAD BODIES, AND THAT TWO OTHERS DIED
LATER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AN ADDITIONAL THREE
AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL.

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5. RADIO MOGADISHU REPORTED ON DECEMBER 6 THAT
TEN PEOPLE HAD BEEN KILLED BY "BANDITS" AT THE
ANIMAL MARKET, AND THAT THREE SUSPECTS HAD BEEN
ARRESTED. ON DECEMBER 7, HOWEVER, RADIO MOGADISHU
REVISED ITS ESTIMATE, "AFTER LONG INVESTIGATIONS,"
TO TWO DEAD AND FOUR WOUNDED.

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6. ON DECEMBER 7, A GROUP OF HAWIYE ELDERS MET
WITH ARMED FORCES COMMANDER GENERAL MOHAMED
SAID HERSI "MORGAN," ACCORDING TO THE SON OF
ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS. IN THIS MEETING, MORGAN
IS SAID TO HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE PERPETRATORS
WERE GALGALA AND MAREHAN MEMBERS OF THE 77TH SECTOR
GARRISON. HE PROMISED TO PREVENT ANY RECURRENCE,
AND BLAMED THE SOLDIERS' BEHAVIOR ON THE TONE
SET BY HIS PREDECESSOR, GENERAL ABDURAHMAN MOHAMED
SAID "MASLAH." HE DID NOT SAY THAT THE GUILTY
SOLDIERS HAD BEEN OR WOULD BE ARRESTED, HOWEVER.
ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACT, THE ELDERS WERE IMPRESSED
BY MORGAN AND WERE WILLING TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO
IMPROVE THE ARMY'S BEHAVIOR TOWARD CIVILIANS.

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7. COMMENT. THE ACCOUNT IN PARAS 2 THROUGH 4
IS CONSISTENT WITH LESS-DETAILED VERSIONS WE
HAD RECEIVED EARLIER. IF THE REPORT OF MORGAN'S
REMARKS IS AUTHENTIC, IT WILL CONFIRM HAWIYE IN
THEIR BELIEF THAT GALAGAL CLANSMEN ARE COLLABORATING
WITH MAREHAN TO MURDER HAWIYE. END COMMENT.


BISHOP