Security analyst Dr Adam Bonaa has said that the military invasion of Garu District does not appear to be a counter-terrorism operation due to the assault on the people.
He explained that the modus of operandi for fighting terrorism has been one that involves the locals to be able to win therefore, attacking them will rather be counter-productive to the efforts in fighting the terrorists.
On Sunday, October 29, the District Chief Executive of Garu, Dr Osman Musa confirmed the reports of Military brutalities in the area on Sunday.
He said on the midday news on TV3 that the brutalities happened in the early hours of Sunday.
“The Military operation took place in the early hours of this morning. A number of people have been injured in the process and are receiving treatment at a health facility,” he said.
Asked whether there has been any casualty, he answered “There is no any death at all, not to my knowledge. We started carrying the people to the hospital, I was among the first to have gotten there with injured persons, others also supported. I left the facility about 40 minutes ago, as of the time I left there had not been any deaths at all.
“Calmness is restoring, The Miltray have already left, they have gone back to camp and so the situation is quite calm now.”
Some residents of Garu and Bugri were injured following a dawn military operation in the communities.
The operation is believed to be a reprisal attack following an earlier assault on operatives of the National Security by a vigilante group.
The residents are traumatized following the action of the military.
The Kusaug Traditional Council has expressed disappointment in the development. The Council is expected to issue a statement later.
Commenting on this also on the mid day news on TV3, Dr Bonaa said “It is very troubling if this is how you undertake counter-terrorism operations. You go in and beat children, women and innocent people in the name of counter-terrorism then you are not actually fighting any terrorism at all.
“No country has been able to fight terrorism without the involvement of the people. and so if you are there claiming to be fighting terrorism then I will say you need the involvement of the people.
“This doesn’t look like an activity to counter terrorists, this looks like an operation to brutalize the people in the area.”