The latest in a growing series of African Union attacks on Somali civilians came today, when AU troops opened fire on civilians along a highway not far from the airport, including spraying bullets into a civilian bus, wounding four.

The incident happened after a boy was hit by a car along the road and civilians flocked to help him. The troops decided the civilians were a threat and attacked them. The bus was between them and the civilians so they sprayed bullets into it.

The African Union has refused to comment on the attack, which is unusual. Most of their attacks on civilians have been met with immediate claims that the civilians were a “valid target” by the commanders.

In July, an African Union internal report conceded that repeated attacks on civilians were undermining the image of the force, and that the commanders on the ground weren’t making sufficient efforts to stop the killings.

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